Since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was suspended in the middle of the season, several English county clubs showed interest in hosting the rest of the season. Sri Lanka Cricket entered the bandwagon a day later, expressing strong interest in staging the remaining matches of the 14th edition of the IPL on their home turf. Despite the fact that many organisations have shown interest in hosting the remaining IPL matches, BCCI’s toughest challenge is seeking a window long enough to finish the lucrative tournament. SLC managing committee leader Arjuna de Silva has said that they will “certainly have a window” to host the IPL in September.
In an exclusive telephonic interview from Colombo, Arjuna de Silva said, “Yes, we will definitely have a window to host the IPL in the month of September.”
According to sources, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the BCCI’s top choice to host the remaining IPL matches in the September window leading up to the T20 World Cup, particularly after the previous edition was a huge success.
“We hear the UAE (United Arab Emirates) is their only choice,” de Silva said, “but Sri Lanka cannot be overlooked for all reasons.”
“In July-August, we expect to host the Lanka Premier League (LPL), and the grounds and other facilities will be ready for the IPL in September,” he said.
Sourav Ganguly, president of the BCCI, admitted that finding a window to finish the IPL this year was difficult due to a jam-packed international calendar. According to initial calculations, the BCCI would lose about Rs 2500 crore if the matches are not kept, according to Ganguly.