IPL council sticks with Bangalore for June 1 final

Kolkata, May 22 (IANS) The Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council Thursday decided to stick with Bangalore as the venue for the June 1 final, thus ending all speculations about moving the summit clash to Mumbai.

"We revisited the issue out of our respect for (Mumbai Cricket Association) president Sharad Pawar, who called (IPL chairman) Ranjit Biswal. The MCA had been asked to furnish sound and fire clearance for the fireworks display as also for the high decibel closing ceremony post the final," Indian cricket board interim president Sunil Gavaskar told media persons after the Governing Council meeting here.

"Now, Mumbai police have a regulation on playing high decibel sound system till 10 p.m. The MCA was yet to get the two clearances. It would not be possible to hold the closing ceremony without fireworks and the sound system. So, we decided to stick to our earlier decision of holding the final at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Banglaore," he added.

Following the Governing Council's decision to shift the final without assigning any specific reasons, MCA president Sharad Pawar shot off a protest letter to the board. In reponse, Biswal sent a 14-point list of dos and don'ts which the MCA had accepted in toto.

Biswal, who was present at the media meet, claimed that besides the sound sand fireworks permission, the GC wanted to also spread the knock-out games to various venues in the country, as a large part of the tournament had to be held in Dubai due to the general elections.

"So, while Mumbai is hosting two knock-out games, Kolkata also got a play-off. We did not attach any conditions or riders when we wrote to the MCA. We only pointed out their fault-lines what all they had not done," said Biswal.

Until last season, the winners of the previous edition were awarded the hosting rights of the final of the next edition.

As Mumbai Indians were the defending champions, it was the turn of the Wankhede Stadium to host the final. The June 1 summit clash was scheduled to be held at the Wankhede till the IPL governing council shifted it to Bangalore.

Biswal, however, said there was no such convention. "Mumbai has hosted the final thrice (2008, 2010 and 2011).. Bangalore has never hosted any final," he said.

IPL chief operating officer (CEO) Sundar Raman said the authorities merely followed a rotation policy of venues.

"Most Indian venues have lost out on matches this time. We held lot of discussions and then decided on the play-offs. Had we not, then Eden also would not have got the play-off," he said.