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Crowds to return to stadiums in IPL
Based on a decision taken by the IPL Governing Council and consultations with the Maharashtra government, 25 percent attendance has been permitted for the league phase.
For the first time since the suspended edition of 2021, the Indian Premier League comes home and will witness crowds returning to stadiums for the marquee competition. Tickets for the 70 league matches to be played across four stadiums in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune went on sale from Wednesday noon.
Based on a decision taken by the IPL Governing Council and consultations with the Maharashtra government, 25% attendance has been permitted for the league phase. The return of spectators marks restoration of a close-to-normalcy phase for the game’s biggest league after the past two editions had to be relocated to UAE—first in 2020, when the pandemic hit India, and then again in 2021 when the second half of the league had to be rescheduled after a lethal second wave of Covid infections breached team bubbles.
Although in the previous edition, 50% crowds were allowed in UAE, the players missed the unique buzz of a home support base that most franchises have developed over time. In that sense, Mumbai Indians will be the biggest beneficiaries, getting a feel of a familiar roar at their IPL home—the Wankhede stadium. Even though all teams have been allotted an equal distribution of matches at each stadium, MI will benefit getting to play half of their league matches in Mumbai, with the Brabourne stadium—it hosts three matches per team—being a five-minute walk from Wankhede.
Indian cricket has begun to slowly welcome back crowds, with the recent pink-ball Test match against Sri Lanka being watched by close to 60,000 spectators across three-days in Bengaluru.
“Our fans have been devoid of IPL action. I am glad they will be back this time adding to the excitement," BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote to the state associations, inviting respective presidents and secretaries for the opening match on March 26 to be played between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and runners-up Kolkata Knight Riders.
A ten-team event from this year after the addition of Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans, the IPL will continue to be played under strict bio-bubble restrictions involving no air-travel. The playoffs, to be held in the last week of May, are expected to go to Ahmedabad.
