We are aiming for the September-October window to schedule the IPL: Brijesh Patel

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is trying its best to schedule the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at some point of time later this year. IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel has now confirmed that while a different window is being looked at for scheduling the tournament, officials might not mind organising it overseas after an official announcement is given by the ICC over the future of World Twenty20.

Speaking to The Times of India, Patel elaborated that while they were targeting the September-October window for the tournament, it would be possible only if ICC makes an official announcement over the future of World T20, which is scheduled to be played in Australia later this year.

Patel told the Times of India, “We are ready to go ahead with the IPL. But we can start planning the schedule formally only after the official announcement is made on the T20 World Cup, which I’m expecting will arrive anytime soon. On our part, we’ve already earmarked the September-October window for the tournament to be played.”

ALSO READ: BCCI working towards hosting IPL 2020 behind closed doors

The Indian board will suffer losses worth Rs 4000 crore in case the tournament stands cancelled.

Patel further added that the planning was at a tentative stage as they would finalise things only after getting clarity over the future of the World T20. He said, “Right now, we’re saying it’s tentative because finalities of the schedule can only be worked out once official confirmations arrive. Talks are going on with the league’s multiple stakeholders and we’re all on board. So, it’s a matter of time before we start putting things in place.”
On chances of hosting the tournament overseas, Patel said, “Suppose we shift just the first leg out of the country, we will have to go through a quarantine when we fly there. But we may probably also have to go through another quarantine when we’re back for the India leg, if Covid doesn’t relent. Or who knows, by October things will be different. Let’s see. Right now, we’re not ruling out the idea of playing the whole tournament overseas.”

Meanwhile, BCCI president, Sourav Ganguly wrote a letter to all the state associations on Wednesday night to be ready for all situations to host the IPL 2020. He wrote, “The BCCI is working on all possible options to ensure that we are able to stage IPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums.”