The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has halted all the sporting actions across the globe. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was also forced to postpone the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for an indefinite period. Notably, IPL 2020 was scheduled to commence from March 29.
However, BCCI initially deferred the tournament until April 14 but it was postponed further after Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the lockdown until May 3. But, the apex body led by Sourav Ganguly is keen to host the tournament as some point later this year.
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IPL 2020 in jeopardy
Finding a fresh window for the now-postponed IPL 2020 will be a challenge for BCCI. As per reports in Outlook, the International Cricket Council (ICC) have no plans to put off or cancel the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia later this year in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The global body will continue as per the schedule and there are no talks of accommodating IPL which they consider as a domestic tournament.
“We are continuing with our planning for ICC events as they are, but given the rapidly evolving situation, as a prudent and responsible measure, we are also undertaking a comprehensive contingency planning exercise. This includes exploring all options available to us based on a range of scenarios connected to the pandemic,” said an ICC spokesperson to Outlook.
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Meanwhile, BCCI will be aiming to host the tournament in the September-October window but a number of international commitments can pose a challenge. The Asia Cup, organised by the Asian Cricket Council, is scheduled between September 24 and October 6 and BCCI might aim to skip the tournament.
While it is clearly becoming a logistical nightmare to find a window for the IPL that features 60 matches over 57 days, BCCI will find an ally in ICC who will face similar problems in hosting the T20 World Cup.
