The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was seen getting suspended after the bio-bubble was breached and players and support staff from various franchises contracted the COVID-19 virus. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been trying to host the tournament in any available window.
Now according to the latest plans of the BCCI, the remaining part of the 14th season of the IPL is most likely to be played in September-October before the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
As per a report, the BCCI has chalked out a plan to conduct the remainder of the season in the UAE in a one-month window between September 15 and October 15.
The Indian cricket team will play against New Zealand in the final of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) from June 18. The side will continue to stay in the UK for a five-match Test series against England starting from August 4.
The tour will be concluding on September 14 which will leave BCCI the September 15 to October 15 window.
BCCI is reportedly also in talks with the ECB to reduce the gap between the 2nd and 3rd Test as there is a nine-day gap between the two Tests. The 2nd Test starts on August 12-16 and the 3rd from August 25.
However, even if ECB does make the changes, BCCI will have a 30-day window to conduct the remaining 31 matches of IPL 2021 with eight double-headers over four weekends.
"If not (able to reduce the gap) then within these 30 days, a full day will have to be set aside for the Indian team and the English cricketers to travel from the UK to the UAE, five days will have to be set aside for the knockouts later. That will leave the BCCI with 24 days to conclude 27 matches. This window has four weekends available, which means a total of eight Saturdays and Sundays for double-headers that can accommodate 16 matches. That will leave the BCCI with 11 matches to be held in 19 days. That's a week extra," the source said.
BCCI is also of the view that since all teams will not be participating during the IPL knockouts, cricketers who're out of the knockouts can disperse and join their respective teams for the World Cup.
BCCI, wanting to complete the IPL 2021 before the World Cup, says it will serve as a 'perfect platform' for the warm-up to the tournament that India is expected to host from the second half of October 2021.
"The IPL will, in fact, be the perfect platform to warm up for the ICC event. The ICC is watching this space with keen interest and will not interfere with the logistics as long as it does not conflict with the World Cup window," the source said.
BCCI may finalise this window during its upcoming Special General Meeting which is scheduled to take place on May 29.
