The Hindu Business Line : Terror has no boundaries; cricket takes a back seat

New Delhi, Nov. 27 The terror attack was a little too close for comfort for the cricket fraternity too. Rooms had been booked at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai, for the teams which would be participating in the now postponed Champions League 20:20.

Some were already there. “We thought we were only dining …when the situation broke,” Mr Robert Nicholls, a partner at Nicholls Steyn and Associates, the South African security agency hired by the Indian Premier League, who was at the Souk, the fine dining rooftop restaurant of the hotel, told Business Line.

When gunshots and blasts were heard, he and six of his colleagues helped guests stay calm, guiding them to a nearby conference room. Shy of disclosing too many details, all Mr Nichols will say is that they knew terrorists were in the hotel, and they secured the conference room and the 150-odd guests who were with them. Working with the hotel’s security, they left the premises at 4.30 a.m.

Terror isn’t something cricket organisers haven’t dealt with earlier. Mr Lalit Modi, Chairman of the IPL, points out that the IPL had continued with its matches after the Jaipur blast. “All the teams wanted to come and play the league, but it was difficult to find a new venue at such a sort notice,” said Mr Modi, speaking to Business Line. “Chennai and Bangalore’s pitches would take a beating by the time the semi-finals and finals took place, if 7-8 matches were held there,” he added.

Ticket sales were to open from Friday for the tournament scheduled to start next Tuesday. Alternative venues will be decided before the new dates are announced, said Mr Sunder Raman, CEO, IPL. Mr Raman was also staying at the hotel, but was with his team working late in office.

“The Taj is sentimental for many of the cricketers. They have stayed there in the past, and have many memories associated with the hotel,” said Mr Modi. Security-wise, he says India does the best job. That’s why the Board has decided to go ahead with the India-England test series. The remaining two one day internationals have, however, been cancelled.

The revenue losses would not hurt as much, said broadcaster Neo. “We will not have the upside that we expected considering that India was on a great run, but a good part of the consumption of advertising inventory from the bigger buyers has already happened during the five ODIs that have taken place,” said Mr Abhishek Verma, Associate Vice-President (Marketing), Neo Sports Broadcast, reluctant to talk figures.

The Essel Group’s Indian Cricket League has also called off the rest of its Season Two of the ICL World Series tournament on its last leg in Ahmedabad.

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