Amid the on-going coronavirus pandemic, a nationwide lockdown was imposed in India which indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL). Since then, there have been many speculations about the fate of the money-spinning league with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) doing everything to host it.
Meanwhile, a source close to the BCCI has revealed that the eagerly-awaited IPL will start on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the final being played on November 8. However, the IPL Governing Council will meet next week to hammer the last nail and approve the schedule. The hearsay suggests that the BCCI has formally informed the franchises about the plan.
On conditions of anonymity, a senior BCCI official told PTI, “IPL in all likelihood will start on September 19 (Saturday) and the final will be held on November 8 (Sunday). It is a 51-day window that will suit the franchises as well as the broadcasters and other stakeholders.”
The IPL has been made possible due to the ICC’s decision to postpone the T20 World Cup slated to be played during the October-November window in Australia. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia expressed its inability to host the event.
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Earlier, there were speculations that IPL will start from September 26, but the BCCI has decided to advance it by a week in order to not jeopardise team India’s tour of Australia later this year.
With every team needing at least a month’s time to train and prepare, the franchises will reportedly be leaving on August 20 which allows them exactly four weeks to prepare.
IPL was originally scheduled to start from March 29, 2020.