After India-Pakistan match, Dharamsala to miss out on IPL action as well

The recently released IPL schedule doesn't mention Dharamshala as a venue.

New Delhi: After India's World Twenty20 match against Pakistan was shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata, the picturesque venue is set to lose out on Kings XI Punjab's home games in the IPL as well.

According to a report in the Times of India, the Punjab team's request to shift their games from HPCA stadium to the VCA stadium in Nagpur was accepted by the BCCI.

The recently released IPL schedule doesn't mention Dharamsala as a venue.

Two reasons are said to be behind this request from KXIP. First, the HP government levies a massive entertainment tax during IPL games and second, it charged a hefty amount for providing security to players as well as officials.

“Franchisees do not want to take the risk of hosting matches here (in Dharamshala) due to the politics played by Congress-led state government. They are trying to harm the HPCA 's image directly or indirectly because the association president is Anurag Thakur who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party,” HPCA spokesperson Sanjay Sharma told TOI.

Even last years, IPL matches were not held in Dharamshala.