We've got Union Government approval on paper to host IPL, confirms Brijesh Patel
IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel has stated that the BCCI have already obtained the Union Government’s formal approval to conduct this year's Indian Premier League in the UAE. Last week, the Central government had given an 'in principle' go-ahead and the BCCI informed the ECB accordingly.
The Indian Premier League’s wait and watch game has finally come to an end, with the BCCI obtaining permission from both the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take the tournament to the UAE, which will host the IPL for the second time in six years.
"Yes, we have received all the written approvals," Patel told PTI.
However, this was only the formal intimation as the board had received the in-principle agreement from the Indian Government last week when they announced the dates for the IPL and then informed the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) about the same.
"Once we had the verbal okay from the government, we had intimated the Emirates Cricket Board. Now we have the papers also, so franchisees can be intimated that everything is in order," a BCCI official added.
In the present scenario, the franchises will be flying out to the Middle East by August 20, after two mandatory RT-PCR (COVID-19 tests) that will be conducted within 24 hours from their departure base.