The 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL), which was halted earlier this year due to the Covid-19 second wave, will return on September 19 with a match between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Mumbai Indians (MI), according to reports. The rest of the season’s opening match will be held in Dubai.
The next 31 matches will be held in three cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, with the final scheduled for October 15 in Dubai. The first qualifier will be held in Dubai on October 10, followed by the eliminator and second qualifier in Sharjah on October 11 and 13, respectively.
“The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unanimously agreed to postpone the IPL 2021 season, with immediate effect,” the BCCI said in a press statement after the season was stopped.
The BCCI does not want to jeopardise the safety of the players, support personnel, and other people engaged in the IPL’s organisation. This decision was made with all stakeholders’ safety, health, and well-being in mind.”
The BCCI is expected to lose around Rs 2,000 crore in broadcast and sponsorship money as a result of the season’s halfway delay, according to reports.
The BCCI had already decided that the upcoming matches will be played in the UAE during a Special General Meeting (SGM).
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced to complete the remaining matches of the VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September-October this year,” the BCCI said in a press release following the meeting.
The BCCI was forced to postpone the IPL earlier this year after several players and support personnel tested positive for Covid-19.