The COVID-19 pandemic has directly disrupted the world’s biggest cricket league – the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) on Tuesday advised IPL franchises that the tourney stands “postponed indefinitely” after the lockdown to fight the COVID-19 pandemic was prolonged until May 3.
“Yes, the BCCI has intimated us that IPL has been postponed for the time being but they are hopeful of finding a window later this year as and when things normalise,” a veteran franchise official advised PTI on situations of anonymity.
BCCI president Saurav Ganguly had repeatedly made it clear that the sport can’t be a precedence given the disaster that the nation is going through.
This leaves the tournament’s stakeholders, including the players, facing a big setback. At the auction last December, a total 62 players were bought by the eight franchises, who spent INR 140.30 crore overall.