Several cricket fans throughout the world are looking forward to the return of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2021. Due to the COVID-19 situation in India, the gala T20 event was postponed in the middle of the tournament on May 4. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has transferred the remaining matches of the competition to the United Arab Emirates, as the subcontinent nation is unlikely to be coronavirus-free anytime soon.
According to several rumours in the media, the flagship league would kick off on September 19 and conclude on October 15. However, recent developments imply that the BCCI is going to wrap up the event ahead of schedule in order to allow Indian players enough time to relax before the IC T20 World Cup in 2021. For the uninitiated, the global tournament will be held in the United Arab Emirates and will begin a few days after the completion of the IPL.
According to Inside Sport, the BCCI plans to wrap up the major event by October 10 in order to allow Team India players a two-week break before returning to the national team’s bio-bubble immediately after the IPL. While no formal announcement has been made, T20 World Cup qualifications are expected to begin on October 17, with the main leg beginning on October 24.
Meanwhile, the next cricket calendar is jam-packed, so Team India players won’t receive much rest. Following a series against England and the IPL 2021, the Men in Blue will compete in the T20 World Cup. As a result, a significant quantity of rest before to the premier competition will be really beneficial.
While the IPL 2021 season is still ongoing, the BCCI must keep an eye on the 2022 season as well. After all, two new franchises are set to debut, bringing the total number of teams to ten. Furthermore, huge auctions will be held, with all sides undergoing renovations.
“We hope to have two franchises in next year’s IPL, but we’ll have to watch how the business develops and examine the current scenario in the country first. According to Inside Sport, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal remarked, “We can’t guarantee a schedule since there are a lot of things we have to consider.”