BCCI ready to move IPL-9 games out of drought-hit Maha: Sources

Facing pressure from all corners to move the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches out of drought-hit Maharashtra, the BCCI is planning to move the games out of the state - sources told CNN-IBN on Tuesday.

Mumbai and Pune are scheduled to host 9 and 8 matches, respectively, in IPL-9, while three matches will be hosted by Nagpur. The Bombay High Court had allowed the opening match of the season between Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants at the Wankhede Stadium to go ahead, saying the public interest litigation (PIL) against the use of water to hydrate the pitches was filed too late and the organisers have already made the necessary arrangements.

But according to the sources, the Indian cricket board has already put Kanpur, Indore and Ranchi on standby as alternative venues, while the Kings XI Punjab's (KXIP) games slotted to be held in Nagpur will be moved to the team's home ground Mohali.

The KXIP franchise told the court on Tuesday that it is ready to shift its IPL matches from Nagpur to Mohali.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has informed the court that the Royal Western India Turf (RWITC) has agreed to provide 7 to 8 tankers of water daily to water the Wankhede stadium pitch.

MCA has told the court that this is the only water that will be used for IPL purpose in the state. The Mumbai board had written to RWITC for treated sewage water.During the last hearing, the court had questioned the wastage of water for IPL when the state is reeling under severe drought.