Board of Cricket of Control in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the playoff and IPL Final will now be played at different timing instead of the regular time of 8 PM. Before the season began, there were multiple demands of scheduling the matches earlier but it was rejected citing the reason of doubleheaders on weekends.
Nevertheless, the IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla now confirmed that the matches will be played at 7 PM which will be a suitable time for family viewing. Mr.Shukla has cleared that the decision has been taken keeping in mind the fans who are the reason behind making IPL such a smashing success.
Tonight, Kolkata Knight Riders will be hosting Mumbai Indians in the 41st match of the season. 15 more league matches shall be played after which the playoffs will commence from 22nd May. Table toppers will play against each other at the Wankhede Stadium. Next two matches will be played at Kolkata which will be eliminator and the second qualifier. Finalists will then clash at Mumbai for the IPL 2018 Trophy on May 27.
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The chairman of the IPL, Rajeev Shukla, confirmed the news and clarified that the decision was taken for the fans who have been watching the IPL from last 11 years. Shukla reasoned that if the games end late in the night, it disturbs the next-day schedule office-goers and the students who have their set routines.
“The IPL is what it is because of its fans and the tournament has over the years been followed avidly both on the ground and on television at homes. So, keeping the interest of the fans in mind, it was decided that the playoff games and the final will start an hour earlier. So, instead of the 8 PM start, the games will start at 7 PM,” Rajeev Shukla was quoted as saying by News 18.
“It gets difficult not only for those at the stadium but also for those watching on television as students and office-goers also need to get back to their respective stuff next morning and it helps if the game starts an hour earlier,” he added.
Thus the confirmation has come that the playoff and IPL Final will now be played at 7 PM, instead of the regular time of 8 PM. Even the official broadcaster had requested the same but it was then unheard by the IPL Governing Council. This decision will avoid the extreme delays in case of the rain-interrupted match or the super over. In this season, the match between Rajasthan and Delhi resumed at midnight and ended at 1 AM.
