IPL targets May 16-30 window to complete the tournament
Teams have been informally communicated though a final decision on the venues will depend on government clearance
Mumbai: The Indian Premier League (IPL) could restart by May 16, exactly a week after it was suspended on May 9 after escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan. Acting on the ceasefire announcement between the two nations the previous day marking an end to hostilities, IPL officials held a conference call on Sunday and earmarked a window between May 16-30 to complete the remaining 17 matches of the current edition.
These plans would be contingent upon there being no escalation in the ground situation at the border. To avoid complications and to facilitate timely completion of the tournament, a plan restricting the remaining league matches to southern venues Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru could be implemented.
Whether Qualifier 2 and the final stay in Kolkata – rain is forecast towards the month-end – remains to be seen. Ahmedabad is one of the standby venues for the playoffs as well as any league match.
The IPL operations teams are still reworking the schedule and there could be an official communication on Monday. As per the original schedule, a total of 14 playing days and three rest days before and during the playoffs were allotted. With the window available shorter now, it will call for more double-headers during the league phase. To avoid a gap day before the playoffs, a match featuring teams out of the playoffs race – Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals are already out of contention – is likely to be slotted.
The ten participating teams are yet to be communicated officially, but they have been told to be on standby and work towards getting their players assembled at their home base by Tuesday. It is now on the franchises to get their overseas players back in the country.
On IPL’s resumption, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told PTI: “In the next few days, we will begin consultations with the franchises, broadcasters, sponsors and the state associations slated to host the remaining matches... It will also be prudent and necessary to take the nod of the Government of India before finalising the time for its restart.”
Titans resume practice
Gujarat Titans had their first training session at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening. Only two of their overseas players, Jos Buttler and Gerald Coetzee, have left the country.
Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting and assistant coach Brad Haddin are also in India. “Ponting’s flight was about to take-off for home when the ceasefire announcement came into force. He chose to disembark,” a PBKS team official said.
The head coach calmed the other in-flight Australian players in the franchise, who were visibly anxious about the situation. Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie and Xavier Bartlett have flown back home. South Africa pacer Marco Jansen is camping in Dubai and won’t take long to return.
It is expected that some of the players from Australia and South Africa who are expected to feature in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s from June 11 may not be able to make it back, or stay on for the entire fixtures of their team. RCB’s Josh Hazlewood is nursing a niggle and Cricket Australia would like to preserve him for the big final. South Africa is slated to play a Test against Zimbabwe on June 3 which will serve as warm-up for the WTC final.
