Mumbai: The IPL Governing Council has received clearance from the Indian government to host the cash-rich league in the UAE. The tournament will begin on September 19 and end on November 10. During its meeting on Sunday, the governing council decided to set a 24-player limit for each squad and approved the use of unlimited COVID-19 substitutes.
There will be ten double-header days in the tournament schedule, and the night matches will begin at 7.30 pm IST (6.00 pm UAE time). The day matches will begin at 3.30 pm IST (2 pm UAE time) The tournament will also retain its entire major sponsor, including the Chinese mobile company VIVO, the title sponsor.
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In April, the BCCI postponed the 2020 IPL season indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The board’s first preference was to stage the event in India, but the rapidly increasing count of coronavirus cases in the country has made that unfeasible. The total count of confirmed cases in India has shot past the 1.75 million mark, which puts the country in third place behind the USA and Brazil worldwide.
On July 21, Brijesh Patel, the chairman of the IPL governing council, announced that plans were afoot to hold the tournament in the UAE. Part of the 2014 edition was also held in the UAE, since it coincided with the general elections in India. It has also been announced that the women’s IPL will be held during the play-offs.
