Aus cricketers to be briefed about IPL security today

Australian players contracted to play in next month's IPL will be briefed on the security situation in India before start of the final one-day international against the West Indies at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.

Paul Marsh, Australian Cricket Association chief executive is scheduled to spell out to the players details of the report by security expert Reg Dickason, who had been commissioned by the body to assess the security risk of players playing in the third edition of the tournament.

The players' safety has become a troubling issue following the Pune bomb blast earlier this month that killed nine people and the threat issued by militant Ilyas Kashmiri on behalf of the 313 Brigade, an al Qaeda terror sub-group, against sportsmen participating in the Hockey World Cup, IPL and next October's Commonwealth Games.

Whereas many players, especially those who have retired from or are ineligible to play Test cricket, such as Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds, are reportedly keen to play despite the risks involved, others currently playing for their countries are said to be wary about participating.

Marsh is expected to tell the 20-odd Australian players that Dickason's report warns that the terror threat is credible.

"The gut feeling from us is that certainly there are au00a0 significant number of players who are contemplating whether they should tour India at the moment," Tim May, head of the International Cricketers Association said yesterday.

"The terror threats are credible and I don't think there are too many people who will oppose that position."

Meanwhile, contingency plans are being made to host next year's cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand if the security situation in India continues to worsen.

India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the official tournament hostsu00a0-- Pakistan were stripped of co-hosting rights due to the ongoing security threat in that country.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said yesterday that world cricket would do everything possible to keep the game going in India and not let it be derailed, as has happened in Pakistan.

"The World Cup is the big piece of work that we have to deliver and we intend to do so," Lorgat said.

"The whole issue of security is dynamic, but we will assess it very carefully and implement whatever measures are necessary to ensure safety and security. I do not share the same concerns for India as Pakistan."