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South Africa will host the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next month after the Twenty20 competition was moved out of India due to security reasons, the IPL said in a statement Tuesday.

"We are very happy to confirm that South Africa will host the 2009 DLF Indian Premier League tournament," IPL chairman Lalit Modi said in a statement following a meeting of the event's organisers and Cricket South Africa (CSA).

England was also considered as a possible alternative for the competition, which will start on April 18, but South Africa was chosen as the host nation after Modi met with CSA chief executive Gerald Majola.

"We would like to thank Cricket South Africa very much for the support they have given us over the past few days, which has helped us to come to this decision," said Modi.

"The South African public loves T2O cricket and CSA successfully hosted the inaugural ICC World T20.

"Both these factors weighed heavily in South Africa's favour, and we look forward to a successful and exciting tournament being held at venues throughout South Africa," Modi said in the news release.

Majola added: "The organisers can be assured that they have the full support of CSA's structures and the South African public to stage a successful tournament.

"This event will strengthen the ties even further between South African and Indian cricket, as well as binding our nations even closer together.

"We are looking forward to hosting some of the world's best cricketers, and we can assure them they will be provided with the very best facilities to show their skills."

The IPL tournament will feature 59 matches and the fixtures will be announced shortly.

(Source: Reuters)