Dharamsala will not host IPL matches this year also

Dharamshala, February 16, 2017: As per the schedule of the IPL matches that was released yesterday, Dharamshala does not figure as IPL 17 destination. It will be for the third consecutive year that the international cricket stadium, Dharamshala, will not host any IPL match. One of the HPCA spokesperson said here that in 2015, the state government did not give permission for hosting IPL matches here on the plea of ongoing process of the Lok Sabha elections. And last year due to the ongoing tussle between the HPCA and the state government, cricket franchisees do not want to take the risk of hosting matches here, and the trend continues this year too.
He said that it was due to the efforts by ex BCCI president and the current HPCA president Anurag Thakur that cricket lovers of Himachal could witness some IPL matches for few years at Dharamshala.
The Dharamsala stadium had been the home ground of the Punjab Kings XI team for about three years. About three to four matches were held at Dharamshala every year from 2010 to 2013. The matches boosted tourism in Dharamshala. It also attracted tourists.
No IPL matches from 2015 onwords has disappointed the hotel and tourism industry in Dharamshala.
The schedule for the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League has been revealed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The tournament, featuring eight teams, will kick start on the 5th of April and end on the 21st of May. The fixtures for the tenth edition of the Indian Premier League was released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday (February 15) with the season opener scheduled to be played between the defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad and the 2016 runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium in Hyderabad on April 5.
The annual showcase event will be played across ten venues spanning 47 days, where each team plays seven out of their 14 games at their home ground. Kings XI Punjab have chosen Mohali and Indore as their home ground Only four of Kings XI's home games will be played in Mohali. The franchise has chosen Indore as their second base. The decision could have been taken after poor turnouts at the venue in the last few seasons.