The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which is expected to be commencing around April 11, is expected to be played across five venues instead of the traditional home-away basis in India, as per the reports of Cricbuzz. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has tentatively zeroed in on Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Delhi as venues.

Apart from the above-mentioned venue, Mumbai has been kept as an option pending talks with the Maharashtra government, which are apprehensive due to the surge of COVID-19 cases across the country.

As per the quotes in Cricbuzz, one of their sources said, “Mumbai is still not final and it is because the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, headed by Uddhav Thackeray, has not yet given the final go-ahead.”

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On the other hand, things could get complex for Kolkata as the venue with the Election Commission of India announcing the eight-phase Vidhan Sabha election in West Bengal from March 27 onwards. However, the official hinted that the IPL games could be pulled off during elections just like they did during the 2019 general election.

The website further reported that Lucknow could also be in the mix as one of the venues as BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla is lobbying hard to be included in the venue list but has been ignored for now.

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Identifying Kolkata appears to be a curious decision given the fact that the Election Commission of India on Friday (February 26) announced eight-phase polling in West Bengal — on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29 – with counting on May 2. But a BCCI source said when the IPL could be pulled off without hitches during the 2019 General Election, the Assembly election should not be a big problem.