The second phase of the Indian Premier League season seven is likely to take place in Bangladesh from May 1 to 12 if the Indian government rejects organisers' request to hold matches in specific Indian states once polling there ends. A media release from the IPL organisers yesterday informed that India has been forced to move part of its Twenty20 cricket competition to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and possibly Bangladesh due to a clash with elections.
The seventh IPL season will begin on April 16 just days after the beginning of the country's general elections. However, the Indian government has informed the IPL organisers that security forces are needed for the world's biggest elections, which run until May 12 and cannot be diverted for the cricket competition.
For that reason, IPL organisers have moved at least the first 16 matches to the UAE from April 16 to 30. The venues are still to be decided according to the tentative schedule while the second phase is likely to be staged in Bangladesh.
“We have also heard that the BCCI and the IPL organizers plan to hold few games from the upcoming season in Bangladesh. The discussion is taking place with our president Nazmul Hasan. I think we will be informed once it reaches a concrete decision,” said the Bangladesh Cricket Board grounds committee chairman Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan to the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
“The BCCI and IPL organiseres have been informed that BCB has no problem in hosting the matches. All of our venues are ready to hold a phase from the tournament which they plan,” Lokman added.
Meanwhile, ICC (International Cricket Council) Chief Executive David Richardson welcomed the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
“The BCCI’s decision to stage the first part of the IPL 2014 season in the UAE is great news for the people of the UAE and the region. It will complete a remarkable season of cricket in the UAE, which has already seen the successful staging of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2013 and the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2014,” said Richardson in an ICC media release.
“This news comes on the back of the on-field success of the UAE national team which has qualified for both the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in Australia and New Zealand and has the potential to propel cricket’s profile to new heights in the country,” the statement mentioned.
The third phase of the tournament after May 12 will be held in India, with the provision that no match be organised on May 16, when vote counting and election results are expected to be announced. Dhaka Tribune
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