Reports | BCCI to arrange conference call with franchises to decide fate of IPL 13

With hopes of commencement of the thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) fading with every passing day owing to the outbreak of the global pandemic that is the Covid-19 virus, the BCCI are set to take a final call on the tournament by getting on a conference call with all eight franchises on Tuesday, March 24. Last week, the board officially pushed the starting date of the tournament from March 29 to April 15 and informed that the people involved will keep a close eye on the situation of the pandemic before coming to a decision.

"BCCI and IPL franchises to have a conference call on coming Tuesday to discuss the process and further way of IPL 2020," a BCCI source told ANI, reported Times of India.

The source further revealed that one of the reasons for the board holding the conference call is the fact that they have asked their employees to work from home. In order to minimize the spread of the pandemic, several state governments, including the Maharashtra government, have shut shop except for pharmacies and grocery stores, requesting organizations to ask their employees to function from home.

"BCCI office has closed so no meeting can be held there similarly no meeting can be held in the hotel so they have opted for a conference call," the source added.

All the evidence, however, suggests that the end is all but near for IPL 13, despite the organizers and BCCI doing everything within their power to get the tournament going. India, as of this moment, has close to 250 Covid-19 cases and health advisories and VISA restrictions posed by not only India, but also governments around the world is set to make life difficult for the tournament organizers.