Desperate BCCI plans to clear Aug-sept window to hold IPL

nMUMBAI/NEW DELHI: Chances of staging the IPL this year seem remote but the BCCI is considering the August-september window in case the country recovers from the Covid-19 outbreak in time. The BCCI had initially postponed the IPL to April 15 .

The BCCI has kept open the option of rescheduling the IPL any time between late August and early October. Should the ICC be forced to postpone the T20 World Cup in Australia in October, as suggested informally by some stakeholders, the FTP could undergo an overhaul and the T20 World Cup may be pushed to 2022 as India is scheduled to host another T20 World Cup in 2021.

Depending on how the next couple of months play out, a plan will be redrawn. The IPL organising team will be looking at all the possibilities, from the participation of foreign players to a truncated event with only Indian players. “We are closely monitoring the situation, and we will take a call accordingly. We are looking at a window for IPL in Augustseptember,” said a BCCI official who didn’t wished to be named.

As per the original schedule, India are to play the Asia Cup in September and host England for three ODIS and three T20s. Before going into the T20 World Cup, India are also scheduled to play three T20IS in Australia and play a series Down Under post it. The Australian government has currently restricted travel for six months.

India’s three-odi tour of Zimbabwe is also set to be rescheduled. As for other teams, England host

Pakistan (ends on September 2) and then Ireland (ends September 15). South Africa’s tour of West Indies ends on August 16. Australia aren’t playing during this two-month period. They will play a T20 series against West Indies and India in October, just before the T20 World Cup.

The BCCI is hopeful of pulling off this plan as the World Cup, the Asia Cup and the IPL have Star Sports as the common broadcaster. But BCCI will have to take the lead and convince the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to postpone the Asia Cup. The broadcasters would stand to lose a lot more if the IPL is called off.

Even if the BCCI finds a 37-day window for a full IPL or a smaller window for a truncated tournament, they will still have to identify venues that won’t be affected by the rains at that time.