21 Mar 2009

IPL looking for bullet-proof cars and buses

1:01 pm on 21 March 2009

India's Twenty20 cricket league organisers are looking for 80 bullet-proof cars and buses to transport players as they bid to secure government clearance for their tournament.

The Indian Premier League, scheduled to take place from April 10th to May 24th, has yet to be given home ministry approval after security concerns escalated in the wake of the attack on the Sri Lankan team in neighbouring Pakistan.

The Indian Express reported the IPL had said they needed 64 bullet-proof cars and 16 buses and wanted them within 15 days, while the Times of India reported the IPL's South African security consultants had approached an Indian company.

A number of foreign players feature in the lucrative league and are looking for extra safety assurances but the Indian company approached felt there was not enough time to prepare such a large order.

Six Sri Lankan players were injured and seven Pakistanis killed when gunmen ambushed the team bus in Lahore earlier this month.