Mumbai: While the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the sports calendar of the world, with many events being called off, mystery continues to shroud some major events of the so-called gentleman’s game.
One such being the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), which along with the T20 World Cup, is still on the radar of the stakeholders, who are hoping against hope that the show will go on. However, the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) is keeping everyone guessing even though it is evident that it will be Rest In Peace (RIP) for the IPL, at least this year.
Cricketing experts are saying that for the 13th edition of the tournament, the writing is on the wall and despite there being a lot at stake, especially financially, for all the parties concerned, it is time to look ahead, to the next year’s championship. The BCCI has told the franchises that the IPL stands suspended.
"Yes, they have informed us that the IPL stands suspended (called off)," a team official told a section of the media on Wednesday. But given its silence beyond this point, pundits are wondering whether Saurav Ganguly and his wise men are waiting for some out-of-the-box happening.
“Why are they (BCCI) not coming out in the open but simply delaying the inevitable, which everyone can see?” asked one of the officials, requesting to remain unnamed. “I can't see why the BCCI is reluctant to come out in the open and say the IPL has been called off, like the biggest sporting events of the year, such as the Wimbledon, which was called off a couple of days ago.
I am sure Wimbledon is much bigger than the IPL when it comes to sporting events across the globe," the official wondered. Though India's cricket board made no official announcement, the further delay of the T20 tournament, which draws top players from around the world, was inevitable after the government extended the lockdown until at least May 3.
However, certain sections of the media are suggesting they will find a window of opportunity in the latter part of the year to do so. BCCI chief Ganguly sounded rather pragmatic: "Practically speaking, when life has come to a standstill everywhere in the world, where does sports have a future in this?" However, others feel the IPL can still be held, such as VVS Laxman.
He believes that it should be played before the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in Australia in October and November. "I think some of the cricket boards will be encouraging the fact that IPL is a big tournament, and everyone acknowledges that. And just before the World Cup it will set the tone for a hectic cricket season.
But I just hope that everything is normal, and no one is in danger. And once that happens, I am sure the IPL should kick off the cricket calendar," said Laxman, adviser to the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, to the Indian broadcaster Star Sports. Others feel there is a big question mark on the T20 World Cup.
Where is the question of the IPL being held, they ask. Some like England's Kevin Pietersen, have suggested the glitzy tournament be shortened from its normal eight-week duration and played behind closed doors.
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