IPL 2021 to begin from April 9: Report

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The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to start from April 9 and will conclude on May 30. "We have provisionally decided that IPL will start on April 9 and end on May 30," a senior BCCI source was quoted as saying by PTI.

"The formal approval of dates and venues will be done during Governing Council meeting next week," the source added.

Considering the ongoing pandemic, the lucrative T20 league will be played in a bio-bubble environment, with media reports suggesting that the tournament will be played across five cities -Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Meanwhile, Mumbai will have to wait for a nod from BCCI to conduct the matches, after Maharashtra witnessed a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases across the state. 

The report in PTI further stated that allotment of matches to Chennai and Kolkata would be done, keeping in mind the state Assembly election scheduled there in the next few weeks.

Mumbai Indians had successfully defended their title in the previous edition held in UAE. 

The report also mentioned that Asia Cup, which was scheduled to be held in June this year in India, stands cancelled as Virat Kohli and his boys have qualified for the World Test Championship final, courtesy their 3-1 series win over England.

India beat England by a comprehensive margin of an innings and 25 runs on Saturday in the fourth and final Test to finish on top of the ICC Test championship table with 520 points. They will take on New Zealand in June at the Lord's for the inaugural title. 

- with PTI inputs