DELHI - The Indian Premier League has countered a threat from the Deccan Chargers to withdraw from the 2010 season by allowing the tournament's reigning champions to play two games in Cuttack.
The IPL had earlier decided that Hyderabad - the Chargers' home city - would not host any games this season as a response to sporadic incidents of violence in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The Chargers responded on Monday by serving a legal notice to the IPL and the Board of Control for Cricket in India, claiming the decision was a "grave breach" of an existing agreement allowing the team to play at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Uppal.
However, following negotiations with the Chargers, the IPL announced on Tuesday that two matches would be staged in Cuttack in order to give the team the opportunity to "build a strong fanbase" in its catchment area.
"The revised IPL schedule has been worked out keeping in mind the catchment area of the Deccan Chargers franchise," said Lalit Modi, the chairman and commissioner of the IPL.
"The solution was worked out keeping in mind the sentiments of the cricket-loving fans of the franchise. The revised schedule now includes the Barabati Stadium at Cuttack as a host venue and I hope that Deccan Chargers fans will come out in large numbers to support their team." (PA)