The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, is set to commence on April 11, if reports are to be believed. The tournament is expected to begin after the conclusion of a women’s one-day tournament and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. As per sources who are close to the development, the final would be held on either June 5 or June 6.
The IPL governing council will make the final decision on when the tournament will be conducted. As per an official in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), giving the players enough rest has been kept as a priority. The players have been part of a bio-bubble for five months in a row. They played the IPL and then went on a tour to Australia. The bubble has surely taken a toll on all the players.
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A senior BCCI official was quoted saying, “The final decision will be taken by IPL GC but 11th April is the tentative date to start IPL 2021. The series against England finishes in March and players will get a good break with 11th April start for IPL 14th.”
Board wants to conduct the IPL in India:
India’s home series against England is set to get commence on February 5 with the opening Test at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The series is scheduled to end on March 28 and if the IPL starts on April 11, the players would be getting an adequate amount of rest to rejuvenate themselves. The Board is keen to conduct the IPL in India itself. As India is the host for the T20 World Cup, 2021, hosting a successful IPL will send out a positive statement to the cricket world.
The feeling was reiterated by Arun Dhumal, a member of the IPL GC. He opined that “We are working on having the IPL in India and we are hopeful that we would be able to organise it. We are not even thinking of a back-up also at this point in time, we are wanting to do it here.”
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The Board had to conduct IPL 2020 (13th edition) in UAE since the outbreak in India was at its peak in the month of September-November. The UAE doesn’t seem to be an option for the BCCI this time around since cases have been reported there too. BCCI and the IPL did a splendid job in organising the IPL amidst the pandemic and creating a bio-secure bubble in a foreign country. The Board will be expected to do an encore, this time in India itself.
Auctions on 18th February | Ranji Trophy scrapped
The auction for the 14th edition of IPL (2021) is scheduled to take place on February 18 in Chennai. The BCCI has been pondering about the upcoming season ever since the previous edition ended on November 10. Earlier in January, cricket in India made its comeback after almost a year with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. The Ranji Trophy, however, has been scrapped for the ongoing season. It is the first time in 88 years that the Ranji Trophy won’t be played.
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