The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided on the tentative dates for hosting the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). As per the reports, BCCI can conduct the tournament fr September 26 to November 8. Though these dates are subjected to change according to the decision taken by the ICC regarding the T20 World Cup. ICC is yet to announce its final decision on the T20 World Cup. This has also restricted the Indian board from making any official announcement on IPL 2020. However, Cricket Australia’s Chairman Carl Eddings told the media that the idea of hosting the T20 World Cup amidst the coronavirus outbreak seems unrealistic.?
According to the Mumbai Mirror Reports, the first half of the tournament can be played in the South in venues in Bangalore and Chennai if the weather conditions are suitable. The second half of the tournament can move to Mumbai if the COVID-19 situation improves in the city. The BCCI has informally informed all the stakeholders and franchise owners about the plan and taken them in confidence.?
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We can’t keep our plans for IPL on hold: BCCI
An anonymous BCCI member confirmed the news of BCCI locking the period from September 26 to November 8 for hosting the Indian Premier League. The BCCI member said as quoted by InsideSport, ?We can?t keep our plans on hold. ICC has to decide on the T20 World Cup way forward and we have to decide on our plans. That is the reason the tentative window has zeroed down. We will start preparing as per this window for IPL?,?
Also, the BCCI is looking at conducting the tournament behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment due to the spread of coronavirus. This can result in an increase in the budget of the cash-rich league. Further, the board is open to conducting the IPL outside India if the situation does not improve till September. UAE and Sri Lanka have already made a proposal of conducting the league in their country.
