IPL 2020 could be played in July behind closed doors, reveals a BCCI official

The Indian Premier League has taken a massive hit due to the outbreak of coronavirus. The tournament was scheduled to start on March 29 was postponed till April 15. However, with the India Government announcing a 21-day lockdown, it seemed unlikely that the tournament could start even after the lockdown ends.

But as of now, the total number of cases in India and then throughout the world has increased massively. There are close to 7,000 people who have been affected in India and more than 220 people have died due to COVID-19. In this situation, there is no chance that IPL 2020 would start anytime soon.

‘We are looking at an alternative window’: BCCI official

But, the IPL is such a tournament that holds immense importance on the cricket calendar. Even if the tournament is not held during this summer, there are chances that it will be held anytime after that. BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had suggested that this season they opt for a short IPL due to the global pandemic. But, Ganguly didn’t clarify any dates for the tournament.

Recently, a BCCI official revealed that IPL could be held in July or even during the winter. Though the official didn’t want to reveal the identity, it seems like a valid option to host the IPL. “The board is looking at an alternate window to host matches, possibly in July, or latest during winter,” the BCCI official told CNBC-TV18.

Each year, IPL gets a window so that the players from all countries can come and participate in the tournament. It doesn’t seem that BCCI would be able to arrange the matches in that particular window this year. In fact, the official even revealed that the tournament could resort to a “behind the doors” policy for this season if they resort to schedule it in the month of July.

The last official update from BCCI suggested that the franchises and the board official will have a meeting once the government releases a fresh advisory after the 21-day lockdown. However, with the current situation, it seems that the lockdown could be extended. The IPL can’t clearly run without foreign players or without the permission of the Indian government. It is safe to assume that the tournament won’t be held for some time now.