BCCI president Sourav Ganguly sent a letter to all state associations, reinforcing their resolve to ensure the lucrative IPL can be played in 2020.
“The BCCI is working on all possible options to ensure that we are able to stage the IPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums,” Ganguly wrote.
“The fans, franchisees, players, broadcasters, sponsors and all other stakeholders are keenly looking forward to the possibility of IPL being hosted this year.
“We are optimistic and the BCCI will shortly decide on the future course of action on this.”
Ganguly said that Indian and international players have shown a “keenness” to be part of any IPL this year, whichever way it lands.
One of the major challenges facing the BCCI is an appropriate window for the IPL, which was scheduled for April-May but had to be postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The BCCI had hoped to utilise the October-November window to host the IPL given the likelihood that the ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled for that period, would be postponed.
However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has delayed a decision on that, given host Australia’s healthy situation in handling the outbreak, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison declaring on Friday that crowds could return to sport next month.
The pandemic is now reaching high levels in India, with their curve on an upward trend, with almost 11,000 new cases confirmed on Friday, taking the country’s overall total to 309,000.
There has been a thought bubble that the IPL could be played offshore, given their rising curve, with the United Arab Emirates a potential solution, although that’s not yet been publicly entertained by the BCCI.
If the IPL couldn’t proceed, it is anticipated it could cost the BCCI half a billion dollars.