Ironically, the die-hard cricket-crazy fans of Chennai have only themselves to blame for missing out in watching home-team Chennai Super King’s (CSK) remaining six matches at the historic MAC Stadium, Chepauk as the IPL organizers have shifted CSK’s ‘home venue’ from Chennai to Pune in view of unprecedented protests witnessed during last Tuesday when CSK beat Kolkata in a high-scoring game.

Protesters demanding setting up of a Cauvery Management Board (CMB) by the Centre to supervise the Cauvery river water sharing arrangement between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.  They took to violent means by hurling shoes when the match was in progress, forcing organizers of IPL and the owners of CSK franchise to consider shifting the remaining matches out of Chennai.

The pictures MCA (Maharashtra Cricket Association) stadium in Pune would now play host to CSK’s remaining six ‘home’ matches.  Protesters on Tuesday jammed Anna Salai, easily the busiest thoroughfare in the city which leads to the MAC Stadium and in their frenzy and emotional frame of mind, they even beat up some CSK fans, making quite a few of them take off their CSK jerseys in support of the home team.

The match to be held on 20th between CSK and Rajasthan Royals would now be held in Pune, it has been officially announced.  The decision was taken at a joint meeting held in Delhi between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials and IPL organizers.  CSK’s successive ‘home’ matches on 28th April (Vs MI), 30th April (Vs DD), 05th May (Vs RCB), 13th May (SRH) and 20th May (KXIP) would now be held in Pune.