Dharamshala: Kings XI Punjab which has adopted Dharamsala for a second home venue is to host 3 matches next month. The games will be played at the scenic cricket ground after a Bombay High Court diktat asked for moving out the matches that were to be held in Maharashtra because of the prevailing drought conditions in the state.
“We are happy to announce that Kings XI Punjab will be playing our three home games in Dharamsala. We are grateful and thankful to the HPCA for their support in helping us make this transition seamless at such short notice,” the franchise said in a statement.
The three Kings XI Punjab’s matches that were earlier scheduled to be played in Nagpur will now be played here between 7 to 15 May.
Kings XI franchise owner Preity Zinta took to Twitter…..
Shifting of the scheduled World Twenty20 India – Pakistan from Dharamsala to Kolkata had cast shadows on IPL cricket matches at pitch in the Dhauladhar Ranges.
“Franchisees do not want to take the risk of hosting matches here (in Dharamshala) due to the politics played by the Congress government in the state, HP Cricket Association had stated after the India-Pakistan match was shifted out.
Kings XI was originally scheduled to play Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Nagpur between May 7 and 15.
In all 13 IPL matches were shifted out of Maharashtra . As per the court order, no matches will be held in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur after 30 April due to the drought conditions .
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
