LONDON: Shane Warne has urged his
fellow Australians to play in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League
(IPL) despite threats from an Indian political party.

The
Mumbai-based Shiv Sena, a right-wing party, has said Australians will be barred
from playing matches in the city in retaliation for recent attacks on Indians
living in Australia, including last month’s murder of 21-year-old Punjabi Nitin
Garg in Melbourne,- Warne’s home town.

But Warne, captain and coach
of the Rajasthan Royals, told reporters at Lord’s on Monday, “As far as I’ve
said, and what I have heard and read, I’ve got no security issues whatsoever.

“There’s been things put in the press about minority incidents
happening in Melbourne, which is a terrible shame and very unfortunate.

“I’ve been meeting with the premier of Victoria (John Brumby) to
address a lot of those issues and come up with a plan to help the relationship
between India and Australia,” Warne said.

“As far as the IPL is
concerned, I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever. I’m sure the other
Australian players will be looking forward to it too.”

Legendary
leg-spinner Warne, who led Rajasthan to victory in the inaugural IPL in 2008,
added: “There’s a lot of security with the teams. I’ve got no issue whatsoever
travelling to India.

“It took me a while to appreciate the culture,
the people and to enjoy India. The first few (Australia) tours, when you are
losing, getting smashed all over the park and getting none for a hundred, it’s
not much fun.

“But the last couple of tours we managed to beat India
over there, I really started to enjoy the people and their passion,” explained
Warne, who retired from Test cricket following Australia’s 5-0 Ashes whitewash
of England in 2007.

“And being involved in the last few years in the
IPL, I’ve got no issues whatsoever in going to India.”

Indian
cricket officials, including International Cricket Council (ICC) president-elect
Sharad Pawar, held talks on Sunday with Bal Thackeray, the leader of Shiv Sena,
in a bid to have the party’s threat against Australian cricketers rescinded.

The third edition of the IPL, which last year was moved to South
Africa because of security concerns, is due to start with a match between the
Deccan Chargers and the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai on March 12.

Warne was speaking at the launch of Royals 2020, which will involve
domestic sides from several countries in a new Twenty20 event.

Teams
signed up so far include Rajasthan Royals, the driving forced behind the plan,
English county Hampshire, where Warne was once a player and captain, West
Indies’ Trinidad and Tobago and the Cape Cobras from South Africa.

Warne could have connections with three of the competing sides, who
also plan commercial tie-ups, if ongoing talks to bring his native Victoria on
board are successful.

Organisers said they were looking to stage the
first Royals 2020 event in July during a ‘window’ in the English season, with
matches in either Australia or South Africa during the Christmas holiday period
in December.

“I’m so excited by this,” said the 40-year-old Warne.
“It would be nice to be 20 years younger.”