Ganguly hopes IPL 2022 will be held in India
NEW DELHI: Indian cricket board president Sourav Ganguly expects next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) to be played in the country ater the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to stage the second half of this year’s tournament in the UAE.
The eight-team tournament with an estimated brand value of $6.8 billion was halted near its halfway mark in May ater two franchises reported coronavirus cases.
The second half was subsequently shited to the UAE, with Chennai Super Kings led by former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni winning their fourth IPL title by beating Kolkata Knight Riders in Friday’s final in Dubai.
The league will add two more franchises in its next edition, and Ganguly was optimistic of hosting it back in India in front of boisterous crowds.
“I hope so, because it’s India’s tournament,” Ganguly said in an online conversation on Saturday.
“As much as you see the superb atmosphere in Dubai, it’s different in India. It’s absolutely madness in India with the stands full. We’d love to have it back in India.”
“I’m sure in the next seven-eight months, the COVID-19 situation will be very different, and we can host it in India with packed stands and the supporters pouring.”
The former India captain was speaking ater launching a Twenty20 World Cup campaign for fantasy sports plaforms My11circle of which he is the brand ambassador.
Judging by the second half of the IPL, many believe the World Cup, to be co-hosted by the UAE and Oman, will prove to be a low-scoring tournament. But Ganguly begged to differ.
“I don’t think so. Maybe in Sharjah, it will be because of the wickets. But Dubai is an absolute belter,” Ganguly said.
“Abu Dhabi will be a great surface to bat on, and it’s going to be a great World Cup.”
The BCCI remains the host board of the World Cup, which also had to be shited due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Ganguly said the kind of support which the Indian cricket team gets across the globe is unprecedented for any sports team in the world.
Ganguly was speaking at an online conference organised by Games24x7 to launch its campaign ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup on its fantasy plaform My11circle.
“If cricket is a religion in India, then the fans are the biggest devotees. Their constant support and the fervour with which they follow their team and favourite cricketers has been the most important factor in exalting cricket to a national passion that unites our country,” Ganguly said at the online conference.
“As a player and captain of the Indian team, I can tell that the sort of support which Indian cricket team gets in whichever country it is playing, is unprecedented for any sports team across the world,” said Ganguly who is also a brand ambassador for My11circle.
My11circle has a user base of over 25 million players on the fantasy sports plaforms, and apart from Ganguly, Indian cricketers VVS Laxman, Ajinkya Rahane as well as Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh are its brand ambassadors.
My11circle’s new campaign titled ‘ Game ke Deewane’ is aimed at celebrating the passion and dedicated support of the Indian cricket fans.