The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to approve the addition of two more teams in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Meanwhile, the apex body is likely to introduce the group system with 10 teams in the fray from IPL 2021.
However, this isn’t the first time that the IPL will have 10 teams fighting for glory. In 2011, 10 teams had featured in the season while in the next two editions of the T20 extravaganza, nine teams had taken part. And now with the BCCI likely to approve two new teams, the IPL 2021 is also set to have 10 teams.
The approval will reportedly be given in the Annual General Meeting of the board scheduled to take place on December 24.
BCCI to introduce group system in IPL 2021
With the addition of two new teams, BCCI is pondering to bring the group system. Currently, the eight participating teams face each other twice in a round-robin format making it 14 matches in the league stage before the top four teams making it to the playoffs. However, this number will reach to 18 after two teams are added which might lead to a lengthy IPL season and a lot of matches.
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A report in Times of India suggests that there will be a change in the format in IPL 2021 and the organisers are pondering to revert to the one used back in 2011. As per the format in 2011, 10 teams will be divided into two groups of five with all the sides playing 14 matches only in the league stages – facing the other four teams in their group twice (home game and away game), facing four teams in another group once and then the remaining team twice.
Although it looked like a bit complicated back then, but BCCI in all likelihood is thinking to return to that format.
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