DDCA row: Delhi may lose Daredevils to Indore or Raipur for IPL 2016

The mess in the Delhi & Districts Cricket Asso ciation (DDCA) threatens to turn the Capital into a cricketing wasteland. There is a growing possibility that Delhi Daredevils will not play their matches at home in the 2016 season of the Indian Premier League ( IPL).

The GMR Group-owned franchise has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and IPL Governing Council to keep two venues - Indore and Raipur - on standby. The franchise is worried that it could be forced to shift its matches outside Delhi due to the controversies surrounding DDCA. With BCCI seriously considering shifting even the World T20 matches out of Delhi, the Daredevils management has written to the Governing Council requesting clarity on the situation. The Delhi Daredevils management has sought a meeting with BCCI and DDCA officials at the earliest so that it can get an exact picture of what to expect in Delhi.

"We clearly told BCCI that we would not get the clearance from the corporation before February 12. However, we expect to get all the clearances from the state's fire and electrical departments before the World T20," DDCA working president Chetan Chauhan said.

However, the Daredevils are far from convinced. "Why should we not play in Delhi if everything is alright? After all, Delhi is our home. But we also have to be sure of the circumstances. With all that is happening in DDCA, we either want BCCI to give us complete clarity or allow us to shift the matches. But playing in Delhi certainly remains our first choice," a Daredevils spokesperson told TOI.

It is learnt that the Daredevils management has already inspected the stadium and other facilities in Indore, while they're familiar with Raipur, a venue where they've hosted their IPL matches in the past.

"Our immediate worry is that if we don't play in Delhi, then alternate venues should be kept aside for us in advance. That's what we've conveyed to the governing council," the spokesperson added.