IPL 2009 with new schedule & venues

“The IPL is on and there is no question of the IPL moving to another country,” Modi said. “Otherwise, the schedule is being adjusted up and down, and we will have a revised schedule.”

— The first match will be played on April 10 as per schedule. The last on May 24

— The opening ceremony has now been shifted to Mumbai from Jaipur

— No match will be held on polling day and three days before and after the day of the election

— The only day when there will be no match at all is on counting day - May 16

— 8-9 venues will be finalised from 15 shortlisted cities

— The new schedule has been prepared after receiving feedback from district administrations and states

New dates will have to be approved by the Union Home Ministry an assurance from the Home Minister himself has come as a welcome respite for the IPL.

“I’m trying to help and I assure help to the best of our ability,” Home Minister P Chidambaram said. “We will try to help the IPL to hold the matches. But some rescheduling seems unavoidable.”

Conflicting reports have emerged about state governments being apprehensive to host IPL matches during the polls but a final call still remains with the Centre, even though the IPL is looking ahead to a greater carnival.

“The Indian administration could organize a match in seven days notice after the Mumbai attack,” ICC principal advisor IS Bindra said. “So the administration is capable of doing it. We are unnecessarily creating hysteria where there is no justification whatsoever.”