The Indian Premier League  is a Twenty20 cricket competition created by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and chaired by the Chairman & Commissioner IPL, BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi. The first season of the Indian Premier League commenced on 18 April 2008, with the victory of the Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in the final .

The situation of IPL in India this year is in jeopardy. The dates are clashing with the General Elections set to happen around the same time. It was surprising that it took the BCCI so long to realize that the Indian government was reluctant to provide support for the 2009 IPL. Ultimately, the decision to shift this year’s tournament to South Africa  or England has triggered reactions of many hues depending on one’s perspective.

Vijay Mallays "As a franchise owner, I am really happy that the IPL is on. We tried our best to hold it in India but because of the ensuing General Elections we had to move it out of India,” Bangalore Royal Challenge owner Vijay Mallya said.

"With the IPL still on it shows the commitment of BCCI and IPL towards Indian cricket fans,” Mallya added.

While Mumbai Indians co-owner Nita Ambani said, “It is the Government of India and IPL who have to decide where the event will happen."

Meanwhile, All India Congress Committee General Secretary Veerappa Moily said there was no politics involved in IPL going out of India.

"Absolutely no politics! It is a matter of security during elections. Otherwise we would have been happy to have the IPL in India,” Moily said.

However, fans were left disappointed after the BCCI decision.

“I am disappointed and so is the entire country. IPL should not go out of India. Now there is nothing Indian about the Indian Premier League,” a cricket fan in Bangalore said.

While another said, “We are disappointed but the fact of the matter is that security concern is a real concern. Whatever happened in Pakistan can happen in India too and then cricket will come to a halt for the next three-four years.”