BCCI open to hosting IPL 2021 at multiple venues in India: Report

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is said to be exploring the option of hosting the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) across four to five cities in India itself.

The 2020 edition of the IPL had to be moved out of India to the UAE owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the BCCI is very keen on organizing the tournament in India this year.

According to a report in ANI, the plan of holding IPL 2021 in India across a few select cities is being discussed by senior BCCI officials. An official from the board confirmed to ANI:

"We are exploring the possibility of conducting the IPL at more venues than originally planned. The intent is to take it to more fans as the situation is moving towards normalcy. The feasibility of the bio-secure bubble and logistics will of course be crucial to determine the venues finally. It is a fluid situation and the health of the participants is our primary concern.”

According to the report, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad are some of the cities that have come up for discussion as possible venues. The official added that franchises too are open to the idea of playing the tournament in more than one city.

"See, there is still some time left for the league to get underway, but we are more than keen to play the league across a few cities. The worry with hosting it in one city is that the COVID-19 situation is constantly changing. So, if by chance one of the cities picked sees a situation where it gets difficult to host the games, another city can go ahead and logistically it will be easier for the board and the franchises," an IPL franchise official told the news agency.

Check out how @mipaltan, @KKRiders, @DelhiCapitals & @ChennaiIPL stack up after the @Vivo_India #IPLAuction 2⃣0⃣2⃣1⃣ 👍 👇 pic.twitter.com/Icx5LhHjv3

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 19, 2021

Check the updated IPL 2021 Timetable here.

IPL 2021 can be held in India, but safety is paramount: Anshuman Gaekwad

While speaking to Sportskeeda earlier, former India cricketer Anshuman Gaekwad had stated that IPL 2021 could be held in India. However, he was quick to reiterate that a final decision must be made keeping the safety of cricketers, fans, and everyone else involved in mind.

Alluding to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in India, Gaekwad said:

“Why not (hosting IPL in India). But look at the recent surge (of COVID). And you don’t want to anything risking lives. That’s the foremost thing.”

On the possibility of hosting the tournament in multiple cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Ahmedabad, Gaekwad said:

“It all depends on the situation. Also, every government has got different rules. Maharashtra government has got different, Karnataka has different, so does Gujarat. Ahmedabad has enough facilities. Both the teams can stay in the same campus. But, to coordinate everything and organize such a big tournament is not going to be easy unless things settle down.”

Here's how the @SunRisers, @RCBTweets, @rajasthanroyals & @PunjabKingsIPL squads look after the @Vivo_India #IPLAuction 2⃣0⃣2⃣1⃣ 👇 pic.twitter.com/xyQAgLVV5R

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 19, 2021