BCCI have muscle and will find way to bring foreign players when IPL restarts, claims Salman Butt 

After this year's IPL was postponed midway through the event, there was no certainty as to when the tournament would restart, owing to the COVID situation and the packed international calendar. However, despite the hurdles, the BCCI decided to lock in UAE as the host country with the tourney set to be played in the month of September-October, just ahead of the T20 World Cup. However, the ECB and BCB have already indicated the unavailability of their players in the league. Even the participation of the Australian players remains doubtful as of now. 

The BCCI have already made it clear that the tournament will go on as per the schedule, irrespective of foreign players missing out on the tournament. However, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has gone on to claim that given the muscle of the Indian board, it shouldn't be surprising if they find a way and get the star foreign players on board. 

"I think they will find a way. They will create a window where people will be available. A few players might not be there but because it is the premier event of this format, they will somehow make a window for it. The tournament is huge, the organization (BCCI) is strong and at the moment they have the muscle so there is a greater chance that it will happen," Butt said on his YouTube channel, reported HT.

Notably, the BCCI are yet to announce the date of the restart, though the officials have landed in UAE and very soon, they are likely to announce the schedule. There are 31 games still remaining in the tournament as only 29 games could be completed earlier, with COVID cases in the bio-bubble leading to the tournament’s cancellation.