IPL franchises meeting to be held after April 14 govt advisory declaration: Report

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak prompted the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to postpone the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) season until further notice. Initially scheduled to commence on March 29, the exact future of IPL 2020 looks uncertain as India continues to remain under lockdown by orders of the Prime Minister. The ongoing pan-India lockdown is currently slated to lift on April 14.

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IPL franchises await a date for a crucial meeting

According to recent media reports, the IPL franchises have decided to set a meeting with BCCI for IPL 2020 only if the Indian government comes up with a fresh advisory beyond April 14. While speaking with an Indian news agency, one of the franchise officials stated that it will not make any sense to stage a meeting now as the future of the lockdown situation still looks uncertain. The official also added that a fresh meeting should only be held when the government comes up with a new advisory after lockdown.

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In March, IPL franchises and BCCI officials held a meeting at the BCCI headquarters to discuss possible scenarios for the staging of the IPL 2020. Their next scheduled meeting in March itself had to be called off because of the nationwide lockdown. In the meeting, options like a curtailed season or a new tournament window were reportedly discussed among the officials.

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IPL 2020 likely to use T20 World Cup window

The coronavirus pandemic has also impacted worldwide cricketing activities as the International Cricket Council (ICC) recently shifted its entire international calendar. The upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia, scheduled for October and November this year, looks clouded with uncertainty as the Australian government have restricted its international borders for the time being. Several recent reports indicate that BCCI might well try to stage IPL 2020 in October-November this year if the T20 World Cup gets postponed by the apex cricketing body.

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