Indian Premier League organizers have vowed to take direct responsibility for all security arrangements during the Twenty20 tournament in the wake of a terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan that has heightened concerns of players traveling to the subcontinent. IPL chairman Lalit Modi said the league's governing council would centralize security, relieving the eight franchises of the responsibility in their respective cities. He dismissed security fears, insisting it was wrong to compare the situation in India to Pakistan. “We are a very safe country. You are sitting here, I am sitting here, we all are sitting here ... We are not Pakistan. I really see no concern,” Modi said. Security concerns around a tournament that attracts a large number of leading international players had intensified following last week's attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore, Pakistan, which left six players and a coach wounded and eight people dead. “Let's not liken the situation in another country to be the same as our country,” Modi, also a vice resident of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) said, as he unveiled plans for the tournament starting on April 10. The IPL's governing council was last week granted approval to stage the tournament, despite it clashing with India's general elections, provided they could adjust the itinerary and not schedule any match during polling in any city or state. There will be no matches held on the day votes are counted across the country. Modi said: “Security is paramount. We'll be responsible for all security,” Modi said Tuesday. “Our security budget has increased (by) 10 this year. From the moment foreign players land in India until they leave, we'll take over their security.” He said a revised schedule would be released soon, adding two venues - Ahmadabad and Vishakhapatnam - had been added to the eight cities that staged IPL matches in the inaugural event last year, while the northern town of Dharmsala may also stage some games. “Some matches are being moved from the home base of teams to adjust the blackout dates due to elections,” said Modi. Players and officials have openly expressed reservations about playing in the subcontinent after last week's terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore, Pakistan, but Modi said that “not a single player, directly or indirectly, has contacted the IPL expressing his security apprehensions.” “After the Mumbai blasts, we still had games in Chennai (and Mohali),” he added of the two Tests played by England, which resumed its aborted tour in December after receiving security assurances following the killing of 179 people in November's attacks. The Lahore attacks, however, played a major role in forcing IPL organizers to undertake a detailed assessment of the security arrangements. “There will be daily movement of teams requiring a lot of coordination. We have a vigorous plan for each stadium,” Modi said. “We're looking at what we missed out or did not do last year. “All security measures have been stepped up, it's all going to be a uniform exercise, besides coordination with local police at all cities staging matches.” Federation of International Cricketers' Associations chief Tim May said it had conducted a survey that indicated a large majority of foreign IPL players wanted security stepped up.
