BCCI postpones 10-team plans for next mega auction after suspension of IPL 2021

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly put its 10-team IPL plans on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic that is still raging havoc across the country. According to reports, the BCCI was all set to announce two more teams for the next edition of the IPL in 2022, however, the second wave of the pandemic has forced the cricket board to put the plans on hold as of now. BCCI was planning to launch two more teams in the 2022 mega-auction. The BCCI is currently seeking to complete its now-postponed IPL 2021 edition, which was called off mid-season following a breach of multiple bio-secure bubbles across franchises.

According to InsideSport, a BCCI official has confirmed that no discussion regarding the addition of two more teams in IPL 2022 is taking place inside the board. The official further added that BCCI is presently looking at options to find a window to complete the postponed edition of its cash-rich tournament. The official said that time is not right to talk about the edition of two more teams. Earlier, reports had emerged suggesting that the BCCI is planning to add two more teams in IPL 2022 and had asked the franchises to prepare for the same before the next year's mega-auction. However, if fresh reports are to be believed, the plans to add two more teams stand postponed as of now.

IPL 2021 postponed

IPL 2021 was called off by the BCCI after multiple players and support staff tested positive for COVID-19 in separate bio-bubbles. It is not yet clear when the IPL will restart again, but media reports suggest that the BCCI could conduct the remaining matches of the tournament in September this year, before the start of the ICC T20 World Cup. Reports suggest that the remainder of the tournament could be held in UAE later this year, where the ICC is also contemplating hosting the T20 World Cup in case the ongoing COVID-19 situation remains grim in India. 

According to reports, several cricket boards, including that of England, Sri Lanka, and Australia, have proposed to the BCCI to host the remainder of IPL 2021 in their country. However, the BCCI is yet to reveal its plans of conducting the postponed edition of the IPL as it is finding it difficult to reach a conclusion on an available window. 

(Image Credit: PTI/Twitter/IPL)