The recent media reports have suggested that the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) can be expected to take place between September 19 to November 8 in the UAE. Under this schedule, 60 matches will now be played in 51 days as against the 44-day window allotted earlier. However, reports of the Times of India suggested that the broadcasters Star India is “unhappy” with the scheduling.
IPL’s governing council chairman Brijesh Patel went on to confirm the dates for the tournament, but will not be easy for the board to actually make it happen. It can be expected that the players will be flying to the UAE by mid-August.
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One of the sources of TOI in the board has said, “As of now, the players are spread out in different parts of the country and the world. How to bring them all together to one location and make them fly? These are plans that need to be thoroughly worked out. No sport anywhere in the world has ever shifted an entire tournament out of the country at the last minute. Indian cricket accomplished it in 2009. Now, add a pandemic to that exercise and see how big that responsibility becomes.”
The real challenge for the board will actually commence when the players and the support staff will land in the UAE. BCCI will have to put a well-panned bio-secure bubble in place, of course with the help of authorities in UAE.
One of the reasons IPL has settled for the UAE is that two grounds – in Abu Dhabi and Dubai – are in the outskirts of the city. Secondly, air travel can also be avoided. Third, the UAE government can be expected to extend full cooperation and has the experience of hosting the league back in 2014.
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One of the officials in the franchises, during a chat with TOI said, “Whatever we’re getting to know is mostly through media reports. This is scary. There are so many questions. How are the players going to fly? When? Are we supposed to do our own bookings? What about other operational procedures? These are not last-minute matters.”
