Emirates Cricket Board confirms receiving ‘Letter of Intent’ from BCCI

The Emirates Cricket Board on Monday (July 27) confirmed it has received the official ‘Letter of Intent’ from the BCCI to host IPL 2020 in the UAE.

“We have received the (official) letter and now wait on the decision from the Indian Government which will ink the final deal.” said Mubashshir Usmani, Emirates Cricket Board Secretary General.

It is understood that both cricket boards have initiated other discussions related to the tournament while awaiting a nod from the Indian government. The 13th edition of the cash-rich league is slated to begin on September 19 with the final being scheduled for November 8.

In 2014, General Elections in India meant that some matches of the IPL had to be moved outside the country. It was at the time that UAE had successfully managed to host the first quarter of the tournament. With state-of-the-art facilities across three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, Usmani is confident of delivering a successful 2020 edition.

“We have a sound, solid understanding of what is required, and to whom we need to consult and engage with from this early stage through to close of the Tournament,” he added.

Why UAE?

UAE was one of the first nations in the world to have opened their doors to tourism and business activities. Usmani complimented the UAE government, saying it has done a commendable job in responding to the coronavirus scare. The decreasing cases and positive recovery rate is an added boost to the country’s economy in general.

“There are many factors which influence the operations and logistics of hosting what is the world’s most exciting, popular and lucrative tournament,” said Usmani.

“This is a massive movement of people and equipment and we now need to bring in the experts to discuss all aspects of UAE hosting the IPL. This includes the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Sports Councils, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Tourism Bodies and the respective Government entities – such as the Police Forces and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, all who have had strong, proven experience in such activities and we will work together to ascertain the best practices to support and deliver on a successful edition.”