Clouds over April deadline IPL

The number of days lost may not be a serious issue for the organisers because the league has a window till the first week of June for the international cricketers to be available which means effectively IPL will lose only eight days if an April 15 to June 5 schedule is finally arrived at.

But the big question is how far IPL can wait for the start? Even as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday discussed the option of conducting a curtailed IPL with the eight franchise owners in wake of the coronavirus pandemic, reports emerged that the T20 tournament may well miss the April window thus spelling the scrapping of the 13th season.

In India, there have been two deaths and more than 80 positive COVID-19 cases, resulting in a government directive to shut the fans out of sporting events to avoid large gatherings. Acting on that directive, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Friday postponed the start of IPL 2020 from March 29 to April 15, and also called off the ODI series against South Africa.

But with the outbreak assuming pandemic proportions, the situation is unlikely to improve in the immediate future. Though on paper, the April 15 to June 5 window is theoretically possible, sources in the board were reportedly looking at a April 21 to May 31 period. If it doesn't happen during this period, the 2020 edition is as good as cancelled.

So, the deadline for the BCCI to come up with a workable plan is effectively April 20, unless it extends it further. For that to happen, the BCCI will have to convince other boards.

The "six-week window from April 21 till May 31" will be enough to host 60 matches with "multiple double-headers," but the decision will depend on the "extent of the virus infection by the first week of April," an official was quoted as saying.

According to the schedule released by the BCCI for the 2020 edition, there were only a handful of double-headers with the organisers taking into consideration fan experience while finalising the fixtures.

Meanwhile, during Saturday's IPL Governing Council meeting "six to seven options," including a curtailed IPL" were discussed. But the focus was solely on public safety.

"The BCCI along with all the IPL franchises have reiterated BCCI's stand of putting safety and well-being of fans, athletes, and employees as a priority," the BCCI said in a statement.