Reports: BCCI likely to prepone IPL 2021 final to October 10
Several cricket fans worldwide are eagerly waiting for the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. The gala T20 tournament was postponed midway on May 4 due to the COVID-19 crisis in India. With the sub-continent nation not expected to be coronavirus-free anytime soon, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shifted the remaining matches of the competition to the United Arab Emirates.
According to multiple reports in the media, the marquee league will get underway on September 19 with the final taking place on October 15. However, the latest developments suggest that BCCI is planning to conclude the tournament before the scheduled date to give Indian players a substantial resting time ahead of the IC T20 World Cup 2021. For the unversed, the global event will also take place in UAE and will commence few days after IPL’s conclusion.
A report in Inside Sport says that BCCI is planning to conclude the mega event by October 10 to give a two-week break to Team India players who will be joining the bio-bubble of the national team soon after the IPL. While any official report is yet to come, T20 World Cup qualifiers are expected to kick off on October 17, with the main leg starting from the 24th of October.
A packed scheduled lies for Team India ahead
Meanwhile, Team India players won’t get much breathing time with the upcoming cricket calendar being jam-packed. The Men in Blue will head into the T20 World Cup, following a series against England and IPL 2021. Hence, a substantial amount of rest ahead of the marquee tournament will be a major boost up.
While the 2021 edition of IPL isn’t concluded yet, BCCI also needs to have an eye on the 2022 season. After all, two new franchises are set to be introduced, making the competition into a 10-team event. Moreover, mega auctions will also be taking place with all the sides going under revamp.
“We are looking to have two franchises in next year’s IPL, but we will have to see the market and also assess the situation prevailing in the country. We can’t guarantee a timeline because there are a lot of things we have to consider,” said BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal as quoted by Inside Sport.
