The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is learnt to have shortlisted six cities to conduct the Indian Premier League (IPL) which is expected to begin during the second week of April.
The shortlisted cities include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai. Reports indicate that Delhi was added to the list in lieu of Hyderabad due to BCCI’s dispute with the local cricketing association.
All of this comes after the BCCI initially proposed hosting IPL 14 in two cities, Mumbai and Pune, before moving onto Ahmedabad for the Playoffs and Finals.
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As per TOI, the Maharashtra Government has provided the requisite approvals to conduct IPL 2021 games at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. However, games at the stadium will be played without crowds due to the ongoing situation with COVID-19.
As per current reports, the 14th season of the IPL will officially commence on the 11th of April while concluding sometime in the first week of June. While Maharashtra has been very firm on its stance with regard to crowds, other state governments are likely to permit spectators in up to 50 per cent capacity.
It’s worth pointing out that the ongoing India vs England test series has seen the introduction of crowds in 50 per cent capacity since the 2nd test in Chennai. Crowds were also permitted for the 3rd test at Ahmedabad’s newly renamed Narendra Modi Stadium.
Although BCCI appears to have made a firm call on the venues for the next season of the annual cricketing extravaganza, it is learnt that the board is yet to conduct formal discussions with individual franchises on the matter.
Some IPL franchises are reportedly wary of having too many venues for the IPL amidst the pandemic. “Obviously, it’s scary. The earlier idea of hosting it in one or two cities sounded far better. After all, the 2020 edition was conducted between three venues and it went well,” a franchise representative was quoted as saying by TOI.
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“The format of the tournament will not change. It’s the same home-and-away format, with each team hosting seven games and travelling for the other seven. That’ll mean a total of 60 matches, like it is conducted every year. The grouping of teams is only to ensure that preparing bio-secure bubbles becomes easier and there’s less confusion,” a source familiar with the board’s decision making said.
While some aspects of the upcoming IPL schedule and format are still being debated, it’s somewhat clear that the BCCI wants to conduct the final match in Ahmedabad. This stadium was recently renovated and can seat up to 1.3 lakh spectators, making it the largest cricket stadium in the world.
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