Anurag Thakur recently hinted that IPL may be shifted out of the country.
Amidst controversy relating to the cash-rich IPL happening in India when several parts of the country are reeling from severe drought, Bollywood superstar and KKR owner Shah Rukh Khan has given his views on the subject.
Speaking to CNN- News 10, SRK made his stance clearing stating, "Business and viewership wise India watches maximum cricket. So IPL needs to be here. The Twenty20 tournament started in India and should stay here without any doubt".
Earlier after the Bombay HC ordered BCCI to shift IPL from May 1 out of Maharashtra owing to drought, discussions started on whether the IPL should be held in any other country in the near future. Anurag Thakur dropped broad hints about it by saying, "The IPL governing council will be looking at the venues in India and abroad. We have to check the availability of the venues and prevailing conditions".
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IPL has twice been played outside India, both being assembly election years. In 2009, the league was moved for the entire duration to South Africa, while in 2014, it was shifted to the United Arab Emirates for the first 15 days. This year, 12 IPL matches were moved out of drought-hit Maharashtra on the Bombay High Court's directive after a PIL was filed questioning the quantity of water used to maintain the various cricket stadiums in the state.
BCCI treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhary had also tweeted, "Very soon IPL may be played outside the country, if this goes on. Loss to the GDP would not be insignificant." Many players have opposed the decision of shifting IPL matches out of Maharashtra saying it is not a fool-proof solution. Even Indian captain MS Dhoni expressed his dismay over the verdict.
With PTI inputs
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