Mumbai:
In a U-turn on Tuesday, the Shiv Sena has finally stepped down against Australian players' participation in the Indian Premier League's (IPL) Season 3.
In a faxed message, Sena supremo Bal Thackeray announced his "faisla" (verdict): "Let the Aussies play. If patriotic talk has become pointless in these times, why should we push our Sainiks into this controversy?"
Earlier, the Shiv Sena had made repeated threats, claimed that this was in retaliation against attacks on Indians in Australia. (
Read & Watch: Thackeray snubs Pawar, says 'No Aussies')
In a video message at a meeting of party workers in suburban Bandra on Monday, Thackeray had said he would not permit Australian cricketers to set foot on Indian soil. The warning had prompted Australian players to say they were not certain if they would pull out of IPL3. The four Australians who belong to the Deccan Chargers said they needed a week to make up their minds. (
Read: Deccan Chargers' Oz players ask for a week to decide on IPL)
The Deccan Chargers, who won the Season 2 tournament under their Australian captain Adam Gilchrist, had strongly hinted that they might not participate in the tournament if their four Australian players, critical in the victory last year, do not play.
But IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who can ill-afford hiccups so close to the tournament scheduled to begin on March 12, had said on Twitter: "Reports that x y z may not play - please ignore such news. All IPL teams will participate. You have my assurance on that." (
Read: Deccan Chargers will play in IPL, assures Modi)
The Maharashtra Chief Minister was quick to offer his reassurance as well. "Everyone in Maharashtra is safe, provided they have come here legally. I don't see the need to respond to these questions every day. If teams have concerns we will speak to them and provide whatever is required."
With 13 matches scheduled to be played in Maharashtra, and 20 Australian players across seven teams, the issue had turned into a matter of prestige for the Maharashtra government, which was publicly insulted last week when it's ally, Sharad Pawar, visited Bal Thackeray at his home to discuss the safety of the Australians. The meeting was seen as Pawar's way of snubbing the Congress, a gesture of extreme defiance given that Home Minister P Chidambaram had stated that he personally guarantees the safety of any Australian and Pakistani players who participate in the IPL. (
Read: Congress vs Thackerays over IPL)
Thackeray's threat had repercussions in other ways for Andhra Pradesh too.
The Deccan Chargers issued a legal notice to the IPL on Monday asking that seven matches shifted out of Andhra Pradesh be returned to the state. The Telangana crisis in Andhra Pradesh had prompted the IPL to shift five matches out of Hyderabad and two out of Vizag. (
Read: Deccan Chargers issue legal notice to IPL)
Ironically, among these matches is the opening match on March 12 which the IPL organisers moved out of Hyderabad to Mumbai because of security concerns brought about the disruption of some cricket matches by pro-Telangana protestors. Now, the Australians are loath to play in Mumbai.
To placate the franchise, Indian Premier League authorities on Tuesday allotted two of Deccan Chargers' home matches to their catchment area Cuttack. "The revised IPL schedule has been worked out keeping in mind the catchment area of the Deccan Chargers franchise," Lalit Modi said in a statement. (
Read: Cuttack finalised as Deccan home venue)
Last year's IPL tournament was played away from home in South Africa, after the dates were found to clash with the Lok Sabha elections and the government voiced its inability to provide adequate security for both the exercises together. There was palpable heartburn. This time, IPL's biggest message has been about coming back to India. So far, however, the homecoming has been far from smooth.