The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) which was postponed on May 4 after a couple of bio-bubble breaches has been moved to the UAE, confirmed BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla.
BCCI and IPL Governing Council unanimously had decided to postpone the league on May 4 after a couple of COVID cases emerged in the bio-bubble. Few cricketers along with support staffs contracted the deadly virus which led the organizers to halt the tournament midway putting the safety of the players and all the stakeholders involved on top.
IPL 2021 to resume in the UAE
Since the tournament was postponed, speculations reached the peak about the potential venue of the second half of IPL 2021. England, UAE, and Australia emerged as the possible venues but eventually, UAE was finalised to resume the league.
This was a tested venue having staged the league in the last season entirely. All the franchises have also welcomed the decision to host the season in the UAE.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced to complete the remaining matches of VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September-October this year,” BCCI said in a statement.
NEWS 🚨 BCCI to conduct remaining matches of VIVO IPL in UAE.
More details here – https://t.co/HNaT0TVpz1 #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/nua3e01RJt
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 29, 2021
The remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) will start from September 19, confirmed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla.
The October 15 finish will make a hustle for the players as the T20 World Cup is expected to begin around October 18; dates haven’t been confirmed by the ICC though. On the little gap between the IPL and the T20 World Cup, Rajeev Shukla opined that the small gap shouldn’t be a problem as the initial phase of T20 World Cup is likely to involve non-Test playing nations.
“IPL will be held between September 19 and October 15,” Rajeev Shukla told IANS on Wednesday.
“There should be no problem with the gap. The first phase of the T20 World Cup will comprise qualifiers [according to BCCI’s knowledge]. So the main teams like India and others will get sufficient gap,” he added.
As per reports, the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 will be split into 10 double headers, 7 single headers, and 4 playoffs, which will be fit into the 21-day window the BCCI hopes to create before the ICC T20 World Cup.
The apex body has reportedly requested Cricket West Indies to prepone the upcoming edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2021) by 10 days to avail the Caribbean players in IPL 2021. This edition will start on August 28 and will run until September 19 and is scheduled to take place in the twin islands of St Kitts & Nevis in its entirety.
The tournament will already miss the service of English cricketer, confirmed ECB Director Ashley Giles. A couple of other cricketers including Pat Cummins and Shakib Al Hasan are unlikely to travel for the UAE for the second half of IPL 2021. New Zealand quick Kyle Jamieson has also stated that he is unsure about his participation in IPL 2021 in the UAE.
While there are reports that the second half of IPL will miss a couple of overseas stars, BCCI is confident to make the foreign players available. They are currently engaging with foreign boards and make the cricketers free for IPL 2021 in the UAE.
The teams are expected to shift to the UAE but ultimately it will depend on BCCI and what quarantine rules they set after discussions with the Emirates Cricket Board.
“As of now, we only have the communication that the remaining part of the IPL will be held in the UAE after Saturday’s Special General Meeting. We are also aware that the BCCI office-bearers are in talks with the ECB on the plan of action and are currently in Dubai. So once we have a clarity on the protocols that will be in place, especially with regards to teams quarantining after reaching UAE, we can block the hotel rooms accordingly,” the official said to ANI.
What are the venues for IPL 2021 in UAE?
The remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 will be played over three venues in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi.
What time IPL 2021 in UAE will begin?
IPL 2021 phase 2 Will begin at 3:30 PM, 7:30 PM IST
Which TV channels will broadcast IPL 2021 in UAE?
IPL 2021 phase 2 will be telecast on the Star Sports Network. The leading Indian Broadcaster has made arrangements to broadcast the games in multiple languages and on multiple network channels.
How do I watch live streaming of IPL 2021 phase 2 matches?
The live streaming of the IPL 2021 phase 2 matches will be available on Disney+ Hotstar. You can also catch the live updates on www.cricfit.com.
IPL 2021 Teams Points Table
| Sno | Team | Pld | Won | Lost | Net RR | Pts |
| 1 | Delhi Capitals | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0.547 | 12 |
| 2 | Chennai Super Kings | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1.263 | 10 |
| 3 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 7 | 5 | 2 | -0.171 | 10 |
| 4 | Mumbai Indians | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0.062 | 8 |
| 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 7 | 3 | 4 | -0.19 | 6 |
| 6 | Punjab Kings | 8 | 3 | 5 | -0.368 | 6 |
| 7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 7 | 2 | 5 | -0.494 | 4 |
| 8 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7 | 1 | 6 | -0.623 | 2 |