After going back and forth on the dates and schedule, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) delivered a googly on Sunday, saying the 59 matches of the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held outside India.

England and South Africa are in the reckoning to hold the high-profile event. Lalit Modi, IPL chairman & commissioner, said at a press conference, ?The tournament would run in the same format and on the same dates. Even the match telecast will be at the same time for the Indian audience. The tournament will remain a domestic tournament being staged at an international venue.?

Modi, who is heading for South Africa on Sunday, said the venue and final schedule will be announced by Monday evening.

The decision to shift the Twenty20 tournament out of the country was taken at BCCI?s emergency working committee meeting on Sunday. The event had run into rough weather because of security fears following the terrorist attack on Sri Lankan cricketers in Pakistan. Also, the match schedule was clashing with the general elections.

?Since the government is not ready to spare security forces for the cricket tournament, we are forced to take the decision to move the event outside India. We made the best endeavours to stage the event in India, but have to move it out of India because of existing conditions,? BCCI president Shashank Manohar told at a press conference.

IPL will be played on its original dates between April 10 and May 24. ?We are in discussion with other boards that are willing to host the event. I apologise to the people of India for moving the tournament out,? Manohar said. Both the England Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have expressed their willingness to host the tournament.

The franchisees also seem to be in line with the thinking of the board. Nita Ambani, owner, Mumbai Indians, said, ?As Mumbai Indians, we are happy to have the IPL-II get going this season. We (all franchisees) unanimously decided to go ahead with the league.? Fortunately, a ten-member contingent from Mumbai Indians is already in South Africa, getting trained under former South African skipper and team member Shaun Pollock.

Similarly, Kolkata Knight Rider?s owner and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, after meeting Lalit Modi, said, ?We understand the security constraints in holding the event while the country went to the polls. We have to respect the elections in the country. That is a bigger issue than our issue. By shifting the IPL abroad, we have tried to find a solution to the problem.?

The advertising fraternity will also not be impacted by the decision to shift the match venue abroad. Sudha Natrajan, president & CEO, Lintas Media Group, told FE, ?I should think this should not have a significant impact on the advertising spend. Because, BCCI?s move will not have a great impact on television viewership.?

The major impediment for the organisers now is to manage the costs and decide on the revenue share formula between the host venue and the franchisees.

Franchisees are supposed to earn from the gate collections made at their home venue. IPL sources say that this would not be much of a bother as the costs of managing the venue and other related risks would be lower. The costs would be mostly borne by IPL, and these are expected to be enormous, say experts.

According to sources, the event could be conducted in England and South Africa. Around 12 venues in South Africa could be chosen.

Moreover, the decision on the broadcaster in India and overseas will also be decided on Monday.