The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced to complete the remaining matches of VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September-October this year.
The league was suspended in early May after players started testing positive, despite the strict bio-bubbles they were subjected to.
The decision was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held virtually, where members unanimously agreed to resume IPL. The BCCI SGM further authorised the Office Bearers to seek an extension of time from the ICC to take an appropriate call on the hosting of ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
The IPL matches are expected to resume tentatively on September 18 or 19 with as many as 10 double-headers to be played during a three-week window. The Indian cricket team will be in England finishing their last Test match of the series on September 14 in Manchester and on the next day, the whole team (save Hanuma Vihari and Abhimanyu Easwaran) will be flown to UAE in a chartered flight for a “bubble to bubble” transfer.
The BCCI on Saturday also decided to seek more time from the International Cricket Council to stage the T20 World Cup in India. The ICC has slated its meeting on June 1 to decide on the matter, but the world body may have to defer the decision on moving the October 18-November 15 tournament out of India in view of the BCCI’s request.
