New Zealand offers to host IPL says BCCI official

NewsBharati    07-Jul-2020 09:53:24 AM
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New Delhi, July 07: Following Sri Lanka and UAE, the most recent country offered to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) is New Zealand if the most expensive league will not take place in India due to increasing cases of coronavirus.

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will create a window if the International Cricket Council (ICC) decides to announce the postponement of the T20 World Cup that is to be held in October-November in Australia According to the reports, the BCCI conducts the IPL from end September to early November.
 
“Staging the event in India has to be the first choice but in case it is not safe to have it, then we will look at the overseas options. After UAE and Sri Lanka, New Zealand has also offered to host the IPL,” a senior BCCI official told to private media.
 
“We will sit down with all stakeholders (broadcaster, teams, etc) and take a call. The safety of the players is paramount. There will be no compromise on that,” the official added.
 
The national cricket board might consider staging the league in India but with India being the third worst-hit country in view of increasing coronavirus cases, it is unlikely to happen.
 
The IPL has been held overseas in the past after a whole edition took place in South Africa in 2009 due to the general election in India and partially in the UAE in 2014 due to the same reason.
 
If any country overseas is to host the event, the first choice would be the UAE if it happens overseas whereas Sri Lanka is a cost-effective option while New Zealand, which has been largely free from COVID-19, faces feasibility issues.
 
However, India has a seven and half hour time difference with New Zealand. Considering this, even if the game starts at 12:30 pm in the afternoon, maximum office-goers (even those who work from home) will miss the action. On the other hand, apart from Hamilton and Auckland, which can be covered by road, places like Wellington, Christchurch, Napier, or Dunedin will require air travel.
 
The official added that the date of the IPL Governing Council meeting will be announced soon and issues pertaining to the league, including the Chinese sponsorship deals in the IPL, will be discussed.