This year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) has been postponed indefinitely following the Covid-19 pandemic, key franchise officials told Reuters yesterday.
Originally scheduled to begin on March 29, the eight-team league was initially suspended until yesterday even as India entered a three-week lockdown last month. After the lockdown was extended on Tuesday until at least May 3, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials held a teleconference before informing the franchises about a further delay.
“Well, all we know is that it has been shifted indefinitely and BCCI are working on a window in the future,” Delhi Capitals chief executive Dheeraj Malhotra told Reuters. BCCI has yet to make an official announcement but the CEO of another franchise confirmed the decision.
“We have been informed about it being postponed indefinitely, but we’re still waiting for an email from the board with details,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel did not answer calls from Reuters on Tuesday and yesterday to elaborate on the league’s future plans.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had earlier acknowledged the difficulty in hosting the tournament amid lockdown with travel and other restrictions due to the global health crisis.
“At the present moment, we can’t say anything,” the former India captain told New Indian Express newspaper at the weekend.
“Where will you get players from, where do players travel? It’s just simple commonsense that at the moment nothing is in favour of any kind of sport anywhere in the world, forget IPL.”
Local media speculated on a possible window in September-October, before this year’s Twenty20 World Cup in Australia. The uncertainty around this year’s edition of the IPL is a big setback, particularly for the 62 cricketers bought for a collective $18.34 million at the players’ auction in December. Former cricketers have suggested the glitzy tournament be shortened from its normal eight-week duration and played behind closed doors. Australian Pat Cummins became IPL’s most expensive overseas buy ever when the KKR paid a staggering $2.18 million for the fast bowler in the auction in Kolkata.
IPL can set tone just before World T20, feels Laxman
The fate of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League hangs in balance as the BCCI has already informed the franchises that the league has been indefinitely postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak. But former India batsman VVS Laxman believes that the IPL could work as a precursor to the World T20.
Speaking on Star Sports 1 show Cricket Connected, Laxman said, “I think some of the cricket boards will be encouraging the fact that IPL is a big tournament, and everyone acknowledges that. And just before the World Cup it will set the tone for a hectic cricket season. But I just hope that everything is normal, and no one is in danger. And once that happens, I am sure the IPL should kick off the cricket calendar.”
Earlier, former England skipper Michael Vaughan had said that there is still a window open to have both the IPL and the World T20.
Taking to Twitter, Vaughan said: “Here’’s a thought .. The IPL is played for the 5 weeks leading up to the T20 World Cup in Oz .. all players use it as the great warm up for the WC .. then the WC happens .. So important for the game that the IPL takes place but also the WC.”
Even Australia batsman Steve Smith had recently said that he was hoping that the IPL does take place at some stage when the situation improves rather than seeing the tournament cancelled for a year. (IANS)
The 13th edition of IPL was originally scheduled to begin on March 29.
