IPL 2021: BCCI Looking At September Window To Hold The Remaining Matches Of The Tournament

After 29 games of IPL 2021 took place before the BCCI postponed the tournament due to rising COVID-19 cases in the bubble, the authorities have got themselves busy assessing the causes. BCCI had been left with no choice but to defer the half-completed competition as a handful of players tested positive for COVID-19. But the cricket board is also considering September as a window to complete the remaining fixtures of the tournament.

The crisis began unfolding when on Monday, Kolkata Knight Riders’ two players tested positive for COVID-19. The news of Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier testing positive for the disease prompted the authorities to postpone their clash later in the day against the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad. The two players were sent into isolation immediately, with the rest of the players also separated without them.

Apart from that, a handful of members in the Chennai Super Kings’ contingent had also contracted the virus. The issue deepened when on Tuesday, two more positive cases emerged in the form of SunRisers Hyderabad’s Wriddhiman Saha and Delhi Capitals’ Amit Mishra. Thus, the BCCI had little choice but to postpone the lucrative T20 league since the virus had penetrated the previously considered secured bubble. Presently, the BCCI is focused on sending all the squad members safely home.

Meanwhile, with India set to tour England for the ICC World Test Championship’s final against New Zealand and the Test series against England from June, the franchise officials are mulling to hold the remaining fixtures in September. A franchise official feels that by then, the foreign players would also be ready for the T20 World Cup.

A September window is being considered. By then, the England-India series would be over and the foreign player would be ready for the T20 WC. That small window is being explored,” an official said as quoted by Cricbuzz. Brijesh Patel, IPL Chairman remarked “Now we have to look for a window. If we get one, we will explore holding it. We’ll have to see if it is possible in September. We need to examine the plans of the ICC and other boards,”

UAE kept as a stand-by venue for the T20 World Cup later this year:

Meanwhile, India’s chances have also been hurt to host the T20 World Cup due to later this year due to an unsuccessful IPL 2021, thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak. Hence, UAE remains one of the strongest contenders to stage it. The tournament is scheduled to take place from October 18 to November 15.

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