The mega event which was originally scheduled to be held between March 29 and May 24 has been postponed “indefinitely”.
Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy. (File Photo: IANS)
Despite the Home Ministry’s nod to the reopening of sports stadiums and complexes, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal has said that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is not possible as the travel restrictions are still there.
The cash-rich league which was originally scheduled to be held between March 29 and May 24 was earlier been deferred till April 15 due to the coronavirus outbreak. However, the crisis soon led the mega event-governing bodies to postpone it “indefinitely”.
“The IPL at the moment is not possible because travel restrictions are still there. So, how can you have the IPL without any travel happening?” Dhumal told The Indian Express.
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The treasurer added that they would plan things in accordance with the guidelines.
“We are studying these guidelines and will study state governments’ guidelines also. Accordingly, we will plan,” he said.
It looks like, as of now the two options of having an IPL this year are – organising it in September and early October before the World T20 in Australia or hosting it at the expense of the World T20 if the ICC, Cricket Australia and other stakeholders are all in agreement.
The Central government on Sunday has extended the nation-wide lockdown for another 14 days till May 31 and has warned of strict action under the Disaster Management Act and Indian Penal Code if the fresh guidelines are not complied with.
In such a crisis, resumption of cricket anytime soon seems bleak and hence the fate of IPL hangs in balance.
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