The Indian Premier League 2020 in the UAE still remains a saga of confirmations – few confirmed and many yet to be confirmd. The Emirates Cricket Board on Monday has confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India has confirmed to stage the IPL 2020 in the UAE. What the ECB did not confirm is that the confirmation of the IPL in the UAE is subject to the confirmation by the Government of India.
BCCI’s confirmation letter to the ECB has a rider that the confirmation will only be confirmed after the Government of India confirms the Indian board’s plan to stage the league in the UAE. Yet the final confirmation will come from the IPL Governing Council, which will have to give the customary approval to confirm the league in the UAE.
Technically, the BCCI has also not confirmed the UAE as the sole choice to stage the tournament. SportzFront has learnt, on paper India still remains the first choice for the IPL 2020 subject to the Government confirmation.
Governing Council member Surender Khanna had confirmed to SportzFront that the GC in its meeting will definitely deliberate on the possibilities of staging the league in India. “How can UAE be confirmed without an approval by the Governing Council,” Khanna had questioned. “As of now UAE is just an option.”
The BCCI is expecting the confirmation from the Government of India by Thursday. Considering the spike in the COVID-19 cases in India, there remains little or no hope for getting a nod for staging in India 60 cricket matches involving over 50 foreign players, a number of international officials and broadcast team members. So, practically the UAE remains the only confirmed option to be confirmed by the Government of India.
The GC is scheduled to meet on Sunday, August 2, via teleconferencing for a final confirmation on the league. The GC will also have to confirm the schedule, size of teams, standard operating procedures. It is suggested that the GC may confirm 40 members per team, including the support staff, team management and franchisee owners. Permission for the players families, wives and girlfriends, may also be deliberated by the GC.
The developments over the past few days and BCCI’s approach to expedite the preparations for the IPL 2020 meanwhile confirm that a final confirmation on the league should come over the weekend.