CHENNAI – Indian Premier League faces a setback as all T20 matchesscheduled to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium will now be shifted toanother venue outside Tamil Nadu. The move comes on the back of anti-IPLprotests across the state and a day after two protesters hurled slippers onthe field during a CSK vs KKR match.

News agency ANI quoted sources as saying that the matches will be moved outof the state but did not mention the new venues.

Massive protests have been witnessed across Tamil Nadu in the run-up to IPLwith pro-Tamil groups alleging that the tournament was a way of divertingattention from the issue of establishing the Cauvery Management Board.Several political parties too have come together in demanding that theCentre establishes Cauvery Management Board. Scenes of angry demonstrationsoften degraded to clashes with police officials with rail and road trafficin several cities of the state being disrupted.

After protesters had threatened matches at MA Chidambaram Stadium, IPLCommissioner Rajeev Shukla met Home Secretary on Tuesday and was assured ofcomplete security cover for players and spectators.

As many as 4000 security personnel were deployed at the stadium before theCSK vs KKR clash – the first IPL match here since 2015.Nonetheless, activists belonging to a pro-Tamil outfit managed to throwslippers on the field – one narrowly missing CSK player Ravindra Jadeja.The activists were detained and marched out.