Being the third worst-hit country in the coronavirus pandemic, India might lose its chance to conduct Indian Premier League(IPL) this year. The cash-rich league is likely to be held in the United Arab Emirates(UAE) during October and November.
BCCI made the decision while waiting for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to make an official decision on the fate of the T20 World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah informed the members at the virtual Apex Council meeting held on July 17.
Once the ICC makes an official announcement about the fate of the T20 World Cup, the BCCI will approach the Indian government to check if they can host IPL in India. If the situation in the country regarding the pandemic remains unconducive, there are chances that IPL will shift to the UAE.
The franchise official said that they have already started preparing for the logistics and have zeroed in on the hotel they wish to stay at in AbuDhabi and how exactly they will train and prepare for the tournament.
Indian cricketers, who have not played since March due to the covid-19 pandemic, could well resume their training in Dubai, the likelihood of which will increase significantly if the UAE gets to host the IPL.
As India crossed the million mark covid-19 cases, the UAE has emerged as the top contender to host the event due to their efficient handling of the coronavirus infection. Besides UAE have the prior experience of hosting the IPL in 2014.
Camp in Ahmedabad
The world’s biggest cricket stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad couldn’t host its first game due to covid-19, but chances are India will hold a cricket camp there before the series in Australia.
The stadium has quality accommodation inside its premises where players can stay. They can also be quarantined, if needed, and contracted players can experience open spaces for a return to groove after an extended period away from cricket.
No domestic cricket
The board also informed its Apex Council that no domestic cricket would be held until December. The board took the decision owing to the current pandemic situation. Not just domestic, but no international games are likely to be played at home this year.
