UAE/Bangladesh to partly host IPL if counting ends by May 15

Bhubaneswar: The BCCI Working Committee on Friday devised a strategy by which they can at least hold a substantial part of the seventh edition of IPL in India as per the wishes of the franchises if the countings of the general elections end by May 15.

As per the discussions at the meeting, the IPL will only be held in South Africa if the T20 event is organised there in its entirety. Or else, Bangladesh or United Arab Emirates will hold three to five rounds till the end of the entire election process. "The members are of the opinion that it will be held in South Africa only if the entire election process with the countings and everything is not completed till the end of May. It will not be partly held in South Africa," a senior working committee member preferring anonymity told PTI He also said that BCCI is keeping its fingers crossed and hoping that the counting finishes by May 15. "Our vice-president Rajeev Shukla informed the committee that election dates will be announced by March 5. If the entire electoral process ends by May 15, then we can have the first few rounds in UAE and Bangladesh, which also won`t be a logistical nightmare," the senior official added. "Post May 15, as the government would be able to provide security, the tournament will come back to India. We can`t make our stakeholders angry. The franchises, the principal sponsors including the title sponsors want it to be held in India", the official said. "So we are going to try and organize for the maximum number of matches in India. We can`t deny the franchises from getting their share of gate sales and initiate brand activation procedure," he concluded.