The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials are considering relocating the second half of the IPL to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to the impending General Elections, making it challenging to host the entire tournament in India. This potential move would mark the third time in history that the IPL has been hosted in the UAE.
Previously, in 2014, the first half of the IPL was held in the UAE due to the General Elections, and in 2020, the entire tournament was relocated to the region amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While there’s no official confirmation yet, recent developments suggest a possibility of the IPL shifting once again.
Reports indicate that IPL teams have asked players to submit their passports, indicating that the BCCI is keeping all options open until the Election Commissioner announces the election dates on March 16.
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“The Election Commission of India will announce the election schedule on Saturday at 3 pm. After that, the BCCI will decide whether IPL matches should be moved to Dubai. Currently, a few top BCCI officials are in Dubai to explore the possibility of organizing the second half of the IPL in Dubai,” sources told The Times of India.
BCCI to conduct 2nd Phase of IPL 2024 in UAE! pic.twitter.com/QC64zUCzoa
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Although the first half of the IPL schedule was announced on February 22, the BCCI couldn’t proceed further until the Election Commission of India finalized the dates. The initial leg of the tournament will commence on March 22 with a match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at M Chidambaram Stadium, and it will conclude on April 7 with a game between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans.
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Following this, there might be a hiatus if the IPL relocates to the UAE for the second half. However, there’s a chance it could return to India for the final phase. Yet, this remains a tentative plan, and concrete discussions will occur only after the Election Commissioner announces the dates.
