IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi on Thursday, May 15, 2008 rubbished the reports that Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne and other team mates Shane Watson and Graeme Smith are planning to back out from the tournament owing to the series of blasts that rocked Jaipur. Mr. Modi said that the trio is already on their way to the pink city to play the matches. The IPL Commissioner has however asserted that there will be no compromise on security of the players.
It was revealed by the Australian media that IPL team Rajasthan Royals captain and few other international players playing in IPL teams are contemplating to fly back to their respective homes and have announced that they would not return to Jaipur, until they receive absolute guarantee about their safety and well being. The players are mostly from those countries which have hardly witnessed any incidents of terrorism. Hence they were badly shaken after the Jaipur serial bomb blasts rocked the royal city on Tuesday.
Shane Warne, on the day of the blasts, was holidaying with fellow Australian Shane Watson and South Africa captain Graeme Smith in Goa. Manager of Rajasthan Royals team, Darren Berry had remarked that the players and he have a real option of getting on the plane and getting away from here. He further added that to think that the team hotel is just a few kilometers away from the site of the bomb blasts is terrifying for him.
The Rajasthan Royals are scheduled to play Bangalore Royal Challengers in Jaipur on Saturday, May 17, 2008. The team manager had further asserted that they would not move out until and unless they get written guarantee from the heads of these states and from heads of security. Lalit Modi has revealed that he does not have the liberty to disclose the security arrangements, but he would certainly add that the security arrangements have been tightened and beefed up.
