Mumbai, April 12: India's cricket board is steeling itself to shift at least some IPL matches out of Maharashtra as the state reels under its worst drought in 100 years.

Mumbai (eight matches), Nagpur (three) and Pune (nine) were scheduled to host 20 matches among themselves, with the iconic Wankhede stadium hosting the April 9 opener and the final.

Today, Bombay High Court asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India if it could consider shifting the matches due to be held in Pune.

After the court adjourned the hearing in the case for tomorrow, BCCI sources told The Telegraph they would rather shift the Nagpur matches. "The BCCI is considering shifting matches to Ranchi, Indore or Kanpur if push comes to shove from the court," a top source in the cricket board said.

A division bench is hearing two public interest pleas against the use of massive quantities of water to maintain pitches for the premier league, now in its ninth season.

A window of opportunity had opened for the BCCI when the high court asked the board whether it would be willing to make a donation to the chief minister's drought relief fund.

When a BCCI lawyer jumped to say yes, the judges asked him, "How much?"

The BCCI was also asked whether it would donate the lakhs of litres of non-potable water that it procures for the maintenance of Wankhede stadium to some drought-affected villages. The court has directed the BCCI to give a written reply on Wednesday.

The judges also directed that the water used for the IPL inaugural ceremony and opening match should be forensically tested to ascertain whether it was potable or not.