IPL 2020: Is BCCI preparing to move IPL 2020 to UAE ?

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is discussing all the possible options to hold the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), even staging the event outside the country but as their last resort.

“The board is looking at all options. If it comes to taking IPL out of India, it may happen but as the last option,” a source within BCCI told ANI.

“If that’s the only option then we will consider it. We have done it in the past also and we can do it again but the first preference will be to host it in India,” the source added.

The 2020 edition of the IPL which was slated to commence on March 29 has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus crisis.

It will not be the first time when the league will take place outside India as IPL 2009 was hosted by South Africa and the 2014 edition was staged in India and UAE.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday deferred a decision on ‘all agenda items’ until June 10. The source said that nothing has been finalised as of now and they will wait to get clarity over the T20 World Cup, to be played in Australia from October 18-November 15.

“We will await for clarity over T20 World Cup from ICC before discussing anything further. But I can tell that as of now no decision has been taken,” the source said.

IPL 2020 can move to UAE ?

Though no one from BCCI wants to come on record but the sources in BCCI has told InsideSport that if IPL 2020 moves outside India then UAE is the best possible destination. According to the source Covid19 situation in UAE is far more controlled and moreover Emirates Cricket Board has officially offered Dubai as an offshore destination for the IPL 2020. The source further informed that the other comforting factor for BCCI is that in past when some matches of IPL 2014 was hosted in UAE, the response for the same was great.

The source also confirmed to InsideSport that whatever decision has to be taken in regard to the IPL 2020 that will only be taken after the ICC Meeting on June 10th. If ICC decides to postpone the T20 World Cup in Australia, we can take the informed decision accordingly.