South Africa prepares for biggest test as IPL crosses continents

The IPL is not merely a sporting phenomenon of a very modern kind, but a force for good in an insecure country whose new democracy is not even two decades old. After the Lahore terrorist attacks on Sri Lanka's cricketers in March persuaded the Indian government that hosting the world's best players at the same time as staging a drawn-out general election was a recipe for trouble, South Africa happily stepped into the breach. Soon, they will be old hands at this kind of thing.

Two years ago, the country hosted the inaugural World Twenty20. Next month comes the British and Irish Lions rugby team, and later this year cricket's Champions Trophy, another refugee from the perceived dangers of the subcontinent. Next year, it will be football's World Cup. So eager are South Africa to please that when Modi declared on Thursday that the IPL would boost the local economy by between 1.5 and 2 billion rand (up to £150m), few seemed inclined to question the sums.

No matter that the Newlands-based Cape Cobras stand to earn peanuts – one million rand (just under £75,000) – for staging eight matches at short notice at the end of a busy domestic season. To be seen to help is what counts. "If it all works out it will be a reminder of how good we are at staging international events," said Andre Odendaal, the Cobras chief executive.

But business ventures – and the IPL remains very much business before pleasure – have their own ruthlessness, and the reality on the ground in the week leading up to the cricket has not quite tallied with Modi's sunny assessment of "smooth sailing". Much has been made of the sellouts at Cape Town for the weekend's two double-headers, rather less of the Newlands suiteholders persuaded to sacrifice their private boxes to allow a comfier vantage point for the IPL's endless stream of grandees.