New Delhi: The Indian Premier League (IPL) will stay in the country despite the obvious clash of dates with the general elections. However, the glitzy T20 extravaganza will start earlier than usual, from March 23. The two-member Committee of Administrators, comprising chairman Vinod Rai and former women’s captain Diana Edulji, met here on Tuesday to discuss the venues and window for the league.
We will have a back-up plan of alternate grounds for all the main venues, in case there is a need to shift matches. This will be done in consultation with the central and state government authorities as well as security agencies,” Rai told PTI. The specific reason for having a back-up venue is to ensure that we don’t have any issue, if there is polling or recounting or if there is prime minister’s rally in any of the states,” he added.
Rai said the specific venues and match dates will be worked out later, after due consultations with government agencies. Tuesday’s decision ended months of speculation about the league’s location this year, given the possibility of a, clash of dates with the Lok Sabha elections, the schedule of which is not yet out.
