IPL 2021: BCCI’s plans revealed, T20 league set to resume in THIS month

Reportedly, BCCI has chalked out a plan to conduct the remainder of the season in the UAE in a one-month window between September 15 and October 15.

File image (Source: Twitter)

As per the latest plans of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the remaining part of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) is most likely to be played in September-October before the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.

IPL 2021 was suspended midway due to numerous COVID-19 cases in the teams and now, as per a TOI report, the BCCI has chalked out a plan to conduct the remainder of the season in the UAE in a one-month window between September 15 and October 15.

Notably, Team India will start its England tour from June 18 when it plays New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship. Afterward, Virat Kohli and co. will take on England in a five-match Test series starting August 4.

The tour concludes on September 14 leaving BCCI a realistic window from September 15 to October 15.

Meanwhile, the BCCI is reportedly in talks with the ECB to reduce the gap between the 2nd and 3rd Test of India’s series against England as there is a nine-day gap between the two Tests. The 2nd Test starts on August 12-16 and the 3rd from August 25.

However, even if that does not materialise, BCCI will have a 30-day window to conduct the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 with eight double-headers over four weekends.

“If not (able to reduce the gap) then within these 30 days, a full day will have to be set aside for the Indian team and the English cricketers to travel from the UK to the UAE, five days will have to be set aside for the knockouts later. That will leave the BCCI with 24 days to conclude 27 matches. This window has four weekends available, which means a total of eight Saturdays and Sundays for double-headers that can accommodate 16 matches. That will leave the BCCI with 11 matches to be held in 19 days. That’s a week extra,” TOI quoted sources as saying.

Also, BCCI believes that the IPL will serve as a ‘perfect platform’ for the warm up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup that India is expected to host from the second half of October 2021.

“The IPL will, in fact, be the perfect platform to warm up for the ICC event. The ICC is watching this space with keen interest and will not interfere with the logistics as long as it does not conflict with the World Cup window,” the source said.

It is worth mentioning that BCCI may finalise the window to complete the remainder of IPL 2021 during its upcoming Special General Meeting which is scheduled to take place on May 29.

Not UK, but UAE likely to host remainder of IPL 2021

As per reports, BCCI is in favor of conducting the remaining part of the IPL 2021 in UAE rather than the UK for various reasons.

First of all, UK is likely to witness monsoon during the months of September and October which can play the spoilsport if the tournament does take place there. On the other hand, the weather in UAE is hot in September but begins to cool down by the end of the month and the same was witnessed during the IPL last year.

Also, BCCI can avoid numerous logistical problems if they decide to host IPL 2021 in UAE as they successfully hosted the tournament last year in the same country. In fact, a quarter of the IPL 2014 matches was also hosted in UAE.

Moreover, central bio-secure bubble can be constructed in the UAE, and hotels are aware of the protocols, thanks to the previous edition.

Reportedly, IPL franchises too are in favor of shifting the IPL to UAE, especially considering their experiences last season.