Kalinga Sena again threatens to disrupt IPL matches

BHUBANESWAR - The Kalinga Sena, a fringe political outfit in Orissa, Saturday again threatened to disrupt Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in Cuttack as the state cricket authorities had ignored their demands, one of which was barring Australian cricketers from playing.

“We had set four conditions. The OCA (Orissa Cricket Association) and the IPL have agreed to our demand of selling tickets through bank counters but other three are yet to be fulfilled. OCA has given us a challenge. We take it up and our activists will disrupt the matches if our demands are not met,” said Hemant Rath, the president of Kalinga Sena.

“Our focus should be on our country’s interest first then the interest of cricket. Our students are attacked in Australia. How can we allow Australians to play?” he asked.

Kalinga Sena’s two other demands are that cheer leaders should not perform and that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should explain the non-inclusion of Orissa players in the East Zone Duleep Trophy.

In view of the threat, the OCA has also assured maximum security to each of the players playing in the IPL.

Cuttack, a non-IPL franchisee city, got the chance to host the matches after Hyderabad-based franchisee Deccan Chargers picked Barabati Stadium as the venue, terming it their “catchment” area. The move was prompted by the violence in Hyderabad due to the agitation for a separate Telangana state.

As per the revised IPL schedule, the Deccan Chargers would meet Kings XI Punjab on March 19 and Delhi Daredevils on March 21 at the Barabati stadium.