Policemen control protestors shouting slogans inside the MA Chidambaram stadium during the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai. (Source: AP ) Policemen control protestors shouting slogans inside the MA Chidambaram stadium during the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai. (Source: AP )

In a big blow to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and its fans, the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches scheduled to be held in Chennai have been shifted to another venue. The decision by the IPL governing body was taken after protests by Tamil outfits before and even during CSK’s match of the season against Kolkata Knight Riders. The outfits are protesting against Centre’s delay in constituting the Cauvery Management Board. Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) issued a statement saying that ticket sales for the match between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals on April 20 have been postponed and further details will be intimated in due course.

Four cities have emerged as contenders to host Chennai Super Kings’ home matches. Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Pune and Rajkot are the names doing the rounds. Committee of Administrator (CoA) Vinod Rai spoke to PTI and said, “We are thinking on the lines of shifting the IPL matches from Chennai. There are four alternative venues that BCCI has kept ready. They are Visakhapatnam, Trivandrum, Pune and Rajkot. CSK can play their matches at these venues.”

CSK’s Faf du Plesis shows a shoe hurled into the ground by an activist of a pro-Tamil outfit during the IPL match. Another shoe landed nead the feet of Ravindra Jadeaj who was fielding at long-on. (Source: PTI) CSK’s Faf du Plesis shows a shoe hurled into the ground by an activist of a pro-Tamil outfit during the IPL match. Another shoe landed nead the feet of Ravindra Jadeaj who was fielding at long-on. (Source: PTI)

Earlier on Tuesday, a member of pro-Tamil outfits threw shoes into the ground during the fifth match of the IPL between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. One of the shoes landed near the feet of CSK player Ravindra Jadeja, who was fielding at long-on, in the eighth over of the first innings. The other one landed near Faf du Plessis’, who was carrying drinks. However, the match continued and CSK recorded a thrilling victory by chasing down 203 runs.

#IPL2018 #CSKvKKR Protests during Chennai Super Kings against Kolkata Knight Riders at MA Chidambaram Stadium pic.twitter.com/M1o7I9Rxue — Express Sports (@IExpressSports) 10 April 2018

A Tamil outfit also threatened to unleash snakes at the M A Chidambaram stadium as hundreds of Cauvery protesters briefly took over key roads leading to the venue in a bid to disrupt the first match of this season in the city.

After being suspended for two years due to corruption scandals, CSK made a return to their fortress in Chepauk after a span of 1065 days. However, their homecoming was marred by protesters who demanded that the games be stopped as it was being held to distract attention from the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Earlier, even before the match could begin, hundreds of protestors hit the streets calling for a boycott of the matches. Security around the stadium was heightened ahead of the match and supporters were not allowed to take mobile phones or any other electronic devices inside the Chepauk. But despite the restriction, shoes were hurled and the protestors were then taken out of the stadium. The Chepauk stadium is scheduled to host the IPL matches between April 10 and May 20.

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