BCCI To Seek Clearance From Government For IPL 2020, Says IPL Chairman As He All But Confirms UAE As Venue
Published - 21 Jul 2020, 11:19 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:31 AM
The BCCI must have heaved a sigh of relief on Monday after the ICC finally postponed this year’s T20 World Cup. The marquee event was scheduled to take place in October-November in Australia. But with the tournament now called-off, the path has become all clear for the BCCI to conduct this year’s IPL.
The BCCI was expecting the decision to be made a few weeks, if not months, ago but there were hurdles that delayed the announcement despite the fact that hosts Australia were not too keen on staging the tournament under existing circumstances.
With the fate of the tournament now finally clear, the BCCI is all set to start planning for IPL 2020. The Indian cricket board is now on an overdrive to get its plan ready if it is to stage the IPL in the UAE, starting last week of September.
IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel, on Monday, stated that the BCCI will seek clearance from the government to conduct the IPL in UAE.
“Hopefully, in next couple of weeks (BCCI) will seek clearances from the government for the tournament (IPL) to be played in the UAE,” Patel told India Today.
“The UAE government offered us to host the IPL in their country and we are very much aware of the facilities and situation there. The IPL (first leg) was played there (UAE) in 2014 so we know what we are looking at,” he added.
The IPL governing council is expected to meet within a week to discuss and formalise further course of action with regards to staging the T20 tournament.
“Within a week the IPL governing council meeting will be held where the next plan of action is to be discussed,” said another BCCI official, who is part of the IPL governing Council.
The IPL is expected to begin on September 26 with the final either on November 7 or 8 with 60 matches to be played in this duration. UAE is all but confirmed to host the tournament as condition in India is still very alarming.
