IPL 2021: BCCI planning to host remaining season from September 15 to October 15 in UAE

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for an indefinite time after hosting just 29 matches due to a potential breach in the bio bubble. Now, there is a big challenge ahead of the BCCI to find a suitable window to conduct the remainder of IPL 2021. All the teams including India have a packed international schedule and thus it will be difficult for the Indian board to make space for IPL 2021. 

It is speculated that in the Special General Meeting, scheduled on May 29, BCCI can finalise the widow to complete the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021. If reports are to be believed then the Indian board can host the tournament after India’s tour of England in the September-October window. Team India will be traveling to England in the first week of June for the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship against New Zealand followed by a five-match Test series against England. 

The Test series will conclude on September 14 and India doesn’t have any series before the ICC T20 World Cup, which is scheduled in India in October and November. Thus, the BCCI is hoping to capitalize the September-October window and conduct the tournament from September 15 to October 15 in the United Arab Emirates. 

BCCI has a plan ready to conduct IPL in September-October window 

In the same light, the BCCI can also make a request to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to reduce the gap between the second and third Test from nine days to four days. Reducing the gap between the Test matches will give the BCCI some extra time to airlift the Indian and England players from the UK to UAE for the IPL. The Indian board is also ready with a backup plan in case ECB refuses to finish the Test series between India and England a little earlier. 

“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,” a source revealed as quoted by Times of India. 

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