BCCI cancels conference call with owners to decide fate of IPL amid COVID-19 crisis

The fate of the thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League, which has already been postponed till April 15 from March 29, worsened further after the BCCI postponed a scheduled conference call to decide the fate of the tournament.

The call with the franchise owners and all other stakeholders was due on Tuesday to find a way forward for the cash-rich league amid the ongoing crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The BCCI’s decision to start IPL 2020 from April 15 is unlikely to see the light of the day as the glitzy T20 tournament is staring at a possible cancellation or further delay.

The deadly novel coronavirus, which has already killed more than 16,500 people and infected over 3,81,700 people worldwide, has forced major parts of India into a lockdown. India has already witnessed nine casualties with over 500 reported cases.

After their initial reluctance to reschedule it, the BCCI on March 13 had announced the postponement of the IPL 2020 from March 29 to April 15.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India has decided to suspend IPL 2020 till 15th April 2020, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) situation,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in an official statement.

“The BCCI is concerned and sensitive about all its stakeholders, and public health in general, and it is taking all necessary steps to ensure that, all people related to IPL including fans have a safe cricketing experience,” the Board stated.

There were speculations that the governing body might go ahead with a closed-door but televised IPL, while some reports have also stated that a section of the board has voted for the league to be played with Indian players only as any incoming cricketer will have to be quarantined for 14 days.

Suggestions of truncated IPL were also tabled but all of them seem to be in a whirlwind now as the governing body is yet to finalise on anything.