Indian Premier League: Kings XI Punjab Considering Playing Matches out of Maharashtra

Kings XI Punjab co-owner Ness Wadia said that the franchise is "very seriously considering" shifting its three IPL matches from drought-hit Maharashtra to some other venue. (Maharashtra To Lose Rs 100 Crore if IPL Matches Are Shifted Out of the State: Anurag Thakur)

Kings XI Punjab have three matches in Maharashtra region. (Shifting IPL Matches Not a Solution to Drought)

They are scheduled to play Delhi Daredevils on May 7 in Nagpur, followed by a match against Mumbai Indians on May 13 in Mumbai and against Rising Pune Supergiants in Pune on May 21.

"We are considering it on human grounds and considering it very seriously. We are considering it internally," Wadia told the news channel 'Times Now' on the crisis that has created acute water shortage in the rural areas of drought-hit Maharashtra.

When asked if there have been any advice, Wadia said: "At the end of the day, we are going to listen to ourselves. What we can do as a franchise as we are all Indians. It's not good that people don't have water."

The Bombay High Court gave a go-ahead for the first IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants on April 9 but the remaining 19 matches in the state are still under doubt.

Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Anurag Thakur recently said that the state of Maharashtra could lose approximately Rs 100 crore if the matches are shifted out of the state.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni also stated that shifting IPL matches away from Maharashtra was not the solution to drought and added that there must be a long-term solution in place.