Reports | Entire 2020 IPL could be hosted in Mumbai

BCCI have left no strings attached finding the right time and place to host the 2020 edition of the world’s top T20 domestic competition. After reports of the BCCI planning to host the tournament away from the Indian shores, recent reports, according to Hindustan Times, suggested that the tournament could very well be hosted in the country. 

The report added that the board is closely monitoring the situation in Mumbai, to host all the IPL games, minus the crowd. However, even for that to come true, the situation in the city has to become drastically better, with a number of increasing cases of COVID-19 on an hourly basis. BCCI’s plans of hosting it in Mumbai lies down to several factors - infrastructural facilities in the city, logistically feasible for the broadcasters to maintain a bio-bubble and ease of transportation for the cricketers. 

 “It’s at a very preliminary stage but if IPL happens in India and by October, situation is under control in Mumbai, there are four top-class floodlit grounds available in Mumbai. The logistics for BCCI, broadcasters (Star Sports), maintaining a bio-bubble, everything could be managed smoothly,” a BCCI official told PTI, reported Hindustan Times. 

The city has three well-known International grounds, in the form of Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil (Navi Mumbai), where IPL games in the past have been hosted. With no concerns over the venue or the conditions on offer, the Indian cricketing board is yet to take a decision regarding the same. The same official also stated that everything depends on the situation of Coronavirus in the city, with over 31,000 cases in the city.

“Obviously, everything depends on Covid-19 situation in Mumbai. But if there are no spectators allowed and a bio-bubble is created, then Mumbai won’t be a bad option,” the official said.