With Cricket Australia repeatedly pointing out that its “unrealistic” to host the 16-team T20 World Cup in October-November, which gives him a window to organize the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the COVID-19 pandemic situation. However, the IPL franchise owners are worried about the viewership of the tournament because of the rumors of a change in the format of the IPL.

Describing the same during a chat with PTI, KXIP owner Ness wad”Considering the current situation, there are too many complications in hosting the T20 World Cup with 16 teams. Organising the IPL won’t be easy too. It has to be at a place which has adequate infrastructure, both on and off the field.”

The ICC recently pushed its final decision on the T20 World Cup to next month but the BCCI has already zeroed in on the September-October window for the tournament.

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore, during a media event last week, had expressed that any “tinkering” in the IPL format to make it happen in the coronavirus-hit calendar will not be acceptable to the franchises. The IPL was postponed indefinitely after a lockdown to contain the COVID-19 pandemic came into force in March.

There are suggestions that the IPL could be conducted without overseas players, due to the travel restrictions imposed by various countries besides reducing the number of games to fit it into a shorter window. The issue was discussed at a meeting between the BCCI and the franchises in March, where most of the owners asserted that they would prefer to have the overseas players.

A top official of another leading IPL team would not like to see a shortened tournament and wants the BCCI to announce the dates at the earliest so that it gives enough time to the potential team sponsors.

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The BCCI official said, “I don’t understand what the BCCI is waiting for. They should have announced the dates by now. Whether August-September or September-October (if the World Cup doesn’t happen). Talk to the UAE board and go ahead. ICC delaying the decision has left it in a dilemma and also the BCCI.”