BCCI "very hopeful" of hosting IPL 2020

COVID-19 has cast a dark shadow of uncertainty over the entire world but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn’t given up hope of hosting this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) edition in and around the autumn months.

Sources said that the BCCI’s top officials are committed to staging the event by October and have also been paid an advance of Rs 1,500 crore for the tournament by the broadcaster. It is learnt that the board if things get normal, are looking at a 60-day window from August month-end.

However, whether the advance amount will be carried over to the next year or not, in case the 2020 IPL is cancelled, has a few legal implications due to the ambiguity over the IPL insurance.

"This payment is made as per the contract. The broadcaster has to pay BCCI in advance. Now that IPL isn't happening in the summer months, BCCI is very hopeful to stage the event at some point at the cost of bilateral ties," a BCCI source revealed to Sportskeeda on Friday.

"BCCI is extremely hopeful of staging the event. It won't be nice to charge the broadcaster if the IPL is cancelled. Of course, the event is insured and it is a matter of deliberation if IPL is cancelled. The board will try and host the event the moment things are normalised as early as August-end to November," the source said.

None of the top BCCI officials nor from the broadcaster was available for comments on the matter.

The team owners and officials are constantly in touch and it is likely that the Indian cricketers are going to play IPL first before proceeding to Australia for the World T20 Championship and the Australian tour.

"Technically, if the World T20 happens, then the IPL is definitely happening before that if not later," the source added.