BCCI On Sri Lanka’s Proposal To Host IPL 2020:
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is interested in hosting the currently suspended IPL 2020, but the prominent voices within the BCCI feel there is no point in debating such a proposition in a “closed world” that is currently fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IPL, scheduled from 29 March-24 May, was indefinitely postponed by the BCCI and the board will only conduct the tournament when normalcy returns.
On Thursday, SLC president Shammi Silva said Sri Lanka is ready to host the mega event as the country, which has less positive cases, is expected to return to normal earlier than India.
“When the world is locked, the BCCI won’t be in a position to say anything,” a senior board official told a leading Sports Website on anonymity conditions.
Sri Lanka reportedly has just over 200 cases as against India’s count of over 13,000. In India the death toll reached the 400-mark.
The official stated that there is currently no proposal from the SLC and that there is no guarantee when a substantive debate on the topic will take place even if it comes along.
Actually, international flights were largely suspended after lockdowns were imposed to contain the deadly virus in several countries.
“There is no SLC proposal yet and obviously no debate,” the official said when asked what the BCCI stance would be when the bid is on the table.
The SLC can stage matches on three grounds — Galle, Kandy, and Premadasa Stadium — with logistics being reduced to less than half as inland flights do not exist.
Getting an IPL could help the SLC achieve considerable financial stability, more than a short white-ball series against India (three T20Is and three ODIs) in July would provide.
The BCCI will henceforth be more likely to have it in India in one of the two slots between September-October and October-November.
A veteran of the BCCI, who was part of the teams when IPL was moved to South Africa in 2009 and partly to the UAE (2014) due to general elections, feels the ICC scenario will change once Shashank Manohar leaves office as chairman at the end of May.
“Sri Lanka is an ally of BCCI at the ICC and their idea is understandable, but what about when next month he (Manohar) steps down,” he said.
“You could see the creation of new equations and the table could have several choices, not just Sri Lanka,” added the board veteran.
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