No clarity on IPL schedule
Franchise owners’ tele-conference ends with no concrete discussion on league
New Delhi, March 16: No headway was made during Monday’s tele-conference by the eight IPL franchise owners as the situation in the past 48 hours has not changed much in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country as well globally.
The start of the 13th IPL has been suspended from March 29 to April 15 with India currently registering 114 positive cases and two deaths for Covid-19. All foreign visas have been put on hold till April 15 while BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has hinted that a “truncated IPL” could be a possibility with a minimum 17 days already lost.
“Nothing concrete was discussed in today's meeting (con-call). It was just a follow up meeting.
The situation has not changed in 48 hours, so talking about hosting the IPL is still pre-mature," an IPL franchise owner told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
“We have to wait and watch. We will keep doing these con calls on a weekly basis to take stock of the situation,” he said.
Among the six to seven options that are there in case the situation improves by April 15, one is dividing the teams into two groups with top four qualifying for the knockouts. Also there are suggestions of increasing the number of double headers in a curtailed time or having matches at three or four centres in order to limit travel.
The possibility of having the matches in empty stands also remains open for the BCCI.
Another official told a news agency that it was unanimously decided in the meeting with BCCI that safety is a priority and we all stand united in this. And considering how things stand, they might have to give the league a miss this year.
Asked if the franchises are ready for the losses they will incur, the official said there was no other choice.
“See, we will be having basic loses of around `1520 crore which comes with paying salaries and other things that come with the successful organization of the league. But there are other loses as well like those that come from merchandise sales etc. While tickets and all are insured, these are loses which the franchises will have to bear if the tournament doesn''t happen,” the official said.