Last Update on: January 3rd, 2020 at 04:37 pm
It is not only the political fraternity who is gearing up for 2019, the Indian Premier League (IPL) fans are also waiting with bated breath to know the commencement date of the domestic professional Twenty20 league.
The cricketing body Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is stuck in a dilemma. Given that the year 2019; 50-over ICC World Cup is likely to begin on May 30 in the United Kingdom (UK). However, there is no option to postpone IPL.
In addition, BCCI will have to conclude the next edition of IPL if they have to adhere all the rules and regulations.
As per Lodha recommendations, there has to be a 15-day break between the IPL and any cricket tournament. Moreover, as per ICC regulations, participating teams have to remain available for promotions two weeks before the start of the coveted tournament.
Keeping this in mind, the BCCI has zeroed in on March 29, 2019, as the starting date of the IPL’s 12th edition as per TOI.
Meanwhile, World Cup deadline is only part of the problem for BCCI.
Those in the know of things say, “If the centre doesn’t call for early Lok Sabha elections, the board will have to seriously consider its options over the IPL.”
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The last three general elections in India took place between the months of April and May. It is likely that the next Lok Sabha polls will also stretch over a long period of time.
“The IPL – under the new set of contracts and revenue models – is going to be a billion-dollar entity every season. There’s a lot at stake for many who are committed to the league. Moreover, there’s absolute unanimity among stakeholders that as much as possible, they’d like the league to take place in India, not abroad,” TOI quoted a source.
In 2014, BCCI had to shift the Indian Premier League again because of the general elections – this time to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – but only for a period of 19 days, before moving back to India for the rest of the tournament.
“However, the 2019 general elections is going to be unlike any other in the past given the scale and stakes. IPL stakeholders will definitely want to know in advance if the 2019 edition can potentially clash with the elections. Planning in advance will be the key,” a tournament stakeholder reveals.
