As the time is closing in on the revised start date of the Indian Premier League (IPL) BCCI is looking for a new window. As per the earlier announcement, BCCI pushed IPL 2020 from 29th March to 15th April due to COVID-19. However, since the country got in lockdown after that the start on 15th April is highly unlikely.
The lockdown which is to end on 14th April is very likely to be extended. Further International flights have not resumed yet. With all this staging of IPL 2020 is highly unlikely in April-May window. But the BCCI is desperate to conduct the tournament this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is eyeing the August-September window for the tournament. As a part of its contingency plans, BCCI has reserved August to October window for IPL 2020. That is if it happens it would clash with Asia Cup 2020 and would have to finish in time before the ICC T20 WC.
The schedule of team India for August to October leg is to play the Asia Cup in September, and host England for 3 ODIs and 3 T20s, Post that they would move to Australia for ICC T20 WC. Since BCCI can’t alter an ICC tournament it is looking to push the Asia Cup 2020. BCCI would be convincing the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to postpone the Asia Cup to a later date.
All this, however, depends on the assumption that the COVID-19 would be contained in 4 months’ time. Further, even if BCCI manages to push the Asia Cup 2020 it would be a task for the board to identify venues that won’t be affected by monsoon at that time. Thus, the chances of IPL this year are in limbo very much.
