IPL
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma with the IPL trophy (Credits: Twitter)

So it’s confirmed, IPL 2020 will take place in the UAE. After a lot of speculation over the venue for this year’s tournament, UAE have been finalised as the one. IPL Governing Council Chairman Brijesh Patel, on Sunday, confirmed that the BCCI has sent the acceptance letter to the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) for this year’s tournament.

The thirteenth edition of the tournament was scheduled to take place between March-May this year but the BCCI had to suspend it indefinitely in the light of the pandemic. With the ICC recently postponing the T20 World Cup, the path became clear for the Indian cricket board to host this year’s IPL.

Previously, the BCCI had stated that while hosting the IPL in the country remained the top priority, it would not hesitate in moving the tournament outside India. And with the present situation in the country being alarming, the BCCI has decided to shift to UAE.

“Yes, we have sent the acceptance letter to the ECB and both the boards will be working together from now on to stage the tournament,” Khaleej Times quoted Patel as saying.

IPL, IPL 2020, Closed Doors, Government
IPL Trophy. Photo by: Deepak Malik /SPORTZPICS for BCCI

According to the newspaper, ECB had sent the proposal to the  BCCI  in April to host the IPL. Patel further said that the eight IPL franchises – Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab and the Royal Challengers Bangalore — will hold their respective pre-tournament training camps in the UAE.

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He said that the training camps will be held in the UAE in a bio-secure environment and “the teams need at least three to four weeks to prepare for the tournament”. Last week, Patel had also confirmed that the IPL will start September 19 and the final will be on November 8.

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