IPL to be held in UAE from September to November

Roshin George

The UAE will host the 13th edition of cricket extravaganza Indian Premier League (IPL) from September 19 to November 10, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on August 2.

The 53-day tournament will have 10 afternoon matches that start at 5:00 pm and the remaining evening matches that start at 6:00 UAE time. The final will be played on November 10.

The IPL Governing Council (IPL GC) met via video-conference to decide on “VIVO IPL 2020” edition.

Because of the “prevailing Covid-19 situation” in India, the IPL GC decided to stage the tournament in the UAE; the matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi after necessary clearances from the Government of India, said Jay Shah, BCCI honorary secretary, in a statement on August 2.

The last time the Emirates Cricket Board staged the IPL was in 2014, when the Indian general elections required the shifting of the first phase of the matches to the UAE. Though it was played in front of packed stands then, this time spectators are not likely to be allowed for the initial matches.

Players will start arriving after August 26. While each squad will have 24 players at a time, substitutes will be allowed.

The BCCI also decided to hold in the UAE the Women’s T20 Challenge, also known as the women’s Indian Premier League, in November.