IPL 2020 to be hosted by UAE; to start from Sept 19

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will start from September 19 and continue till November 8, chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed on Friday.  Patel said, "The fans will enjoy the full tournament from September 19 to November 8 and further course of action will be discussed with the franchises in the Governing Council meeting".

IPL 2020 will be conducted in the UAE as coronavirus cases continue to rise in India. The Emirates Cricket Board had approached the Board of Cricket Control of India (BCCI) and offered to play host. The board stated that they had the required infrastructure for it, according to Cricbuzz.

The postponement of the T20 World Cup by the Indian Cricket Council (ICC) allowed time for IPL. The T20 World Cup was scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 15.

However, details like plan of departure for teams and the full schedule of the tournament would be chalked out at the IPL Governing Council meeting next week. The governing council will also decide if IPL-13 can have limited crowds.

In 2014, due to general elections in the country, the IPL moved to the Emirates for its first-half. Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium and the Dubai International Stadium hosted the first 20 matches of IPL 2014.

There are several venues in the UAE where the cricket tournament can be held, like in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai. It has two test venues and three other grounds that have hosted List A and T20 games.

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Also read: IPL 2020 likely to be played in UAE from Sept 19-Nov 8