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Indian Premier League

Rajasthan players to stay on in India

Cricinfo staff

May 15, 2008

	After some initial concerns, Shane Warne has decided to remain in India (file photo) © Getty Images

The Indian Premier League's Jaipur franchise has discussed the sensitive security situation in the city with its players and is sure that all members of Rajasthan Royals, its IPL team, will be available for Saturday's home match against Bangalore Royal Challengers, a team official said.

"I can confirm that all players of the Rajasthan Royals team are available for Saturday's game," Narendra Joshi, the team's media manager, told Cricinfo. "We are talking with the players, who are in Goa right now for a break, and there are no issues regarding the match. All the players will reach Jaipur on Friday morning."

Darren Berry, Rajasthan's team manager, had told the Sydney Morning Herald from Goa that there is a "real option" three of the team's highest profile players will not return to Jaipur following a series of bombs that killed about 80 people in the city on Tuesday. Berry is in Goa with Shane Warne, Shane Watson and Graeme Smith and said the group had considered "getting on the plane and getting out of here".

Bangalore, too, had expressed concerns over playing in Jaipur and requested the IPL governing council to shift the game to their home ground. However, their request was rejected by Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, and it's learnt that the Bangalore team management has informed the players and support staff - most of them are currently in Delhi - that the squad will proceed to Jaipur on Friday morning.

"We are not comfortable at all," Berry said. "This is an extremely uncomfortable situation. Cricket has been good to me, but I have a wife and three kids back in Melbourne and they are less than impressed with the part of the world I am in."

The IPL has said that there will be an increased security presence for the match. "I am not at liberty to describe security arrangements but yes, we have beefed up the security arrangements," Modi told PTI. "We are requesting everybody to come in the stadium without bags, lighters, matches or bottles. Also the players area would be totally cordoned off and nobody would be allowed to go near the players."

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals CEO Fraser Castellino said the franchise was in touch with the IPL and the state agencies and was satisfied with the security arrangements. "We are working closely with IPL and the state government agencies," he said. "We had sniffer dog squads and bomb disposal squads covering the stadium and outer perimeter areas, so we are taking it seriously.

"Security is a concern but we are satisfied that sufficient steps are being taken to look into the matter and ensure that no untoward incident happens."

© Cricinfo