The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has kept India as its first-choice option to host the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League. However, with the coronavirus still prevailing in the country, the Indian board is aware of the problems they might have to face in hosting the tournament. Therefore, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been marked as the second option, which will host the tournament if the need arises.
According to a Mumbai Mirror report, the course of action for IPL 2021 was decided on Monday when the IPL governing council met virtually. The trading window has been opened following the meeting and the teams have been asked to release players by January 21. The report furthers states that a mini-auction will be conducted in the second week of February – around February 11.
The BCCI will try out all available options to host the tournament in India but a lot will depend on how the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 is conducted.
The board is yet to meet the franchises to know their preference of venue. However, it is aware of the fact that most teams will vote for the tournament to be carried out in the UAE rather than India due to the Covid-19 complications in the country. The situation will be assessed by the BCCI after the conclusion of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
“How we approach the next IPL is dependent on how the Mushtaq Ali plays out,” a BCCI member was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.
The Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy begins on January 10 and players like Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Ishant Sharma, and Suryakumr Yadav will be a part of the tournament. Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Baroda, Indore, and Chennai are the six venues where the matches will be played.