Sri Lanka Cricket have expressed their concern after attacks on Sri Lankans in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
The SLC have raised concerns over the safety of their cricketers playing in the 2013 IPL season, after a spate of attacks on Sri Lankans in Southern India.
The Sri Lanka Cricket Players’ Association has written to its parent organisation – the Federation of International Cricketers’ Association – to assess the safety of their players in the IPL and what action will be taken to ensure they come to no harm whilst playing in the tournament.
The IPL starts on 3 April and will be played all over India in several cities. However it is the 10 matches due to be played in the Tamil Nadu-situated Chennai that worries the SLC the most.
Tensions grew in the area after two Buddhist monks and a group of Sri Lankan tourists were attacked by a Tamil group.
There has been a rise in violent attacks on Sri Lankan nationals in recent times, in fact so much so the Sri Lankan government has asked its people to exercise extreme care when traveling in the region and to inform the High Commission in Chennai if they have to travel there.
There are 12 Sri Lankan players who are signed up to IPL teams, with fast bowler Nuwan Kulasekara and off-spinner Akila Dananjaya both contracted to the Chennai Super Kings.
If trouble continues then the 12 players may not play in the games at Chennai, which could prove to be a problem for the Super Kings as they would be without Kulasekara and Dananjaya for all eight of their home matches.
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