COVID-19 | IPL Likely To Be Postponed Indefinitely As PM Announces Lockdown Extension: BCCI

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League which was scheduled to commence on April 15th was postponed in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. BCCI had taken the decision keeping the safety and health of the players and the citizens at large as top priority amid the COVID outbreak.

Photo: Twitter

New Delhi: Sources highly placed in the Board For Cricket Control In India (BCCI) on Tuesday said that thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be postponed indefinitely after PM Narendra Modi extended the nationwide lockdown till May 3 in wake of the COVID-19 threat which still looms large all over the country.

As the lockdown has been extended till May 3 by the government, we will postpone the Indian Premier League for the time being: BCCI Sources pic.twitter.com/VzRpTlVa9M

— ANI (@ANI) April 14, 2020

This development continues to put a haze around the future of the flagship T20 tournament after media reports signalled a possible happening of the high profile money spinning T20 league in Oct-Nov if the 2020 ICC World T20 slated to be held in Australia gets cancelled or deffered from its schedule. The BCCI is currently not in a position to take a call on the future of IPL and it would be "too premature" to comment on whether the tournament can be slotted in place of the ICC World T20 in October-November, treasurer Arun Dhumal said on Monday. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation and announced the extension of lockdown for next 19 days till May 3. The national lockdown announced by the prime minister is in place from March 25 in an unprecedented measure in the fight against COVID-19 and was scheduled to end on Tuesday. The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League which was scheduled to commence on April 15th was postponed in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. BCCI, the apex sports body had taken the decision keeping the safety and health of the players and the citizens as top priority. The outbreak of the coronavirus has led to suspension of all major sporting events including the Tokyo Olympics, the tennis Grand Slams, besides all major leagues and seasoned sporting fixtures all around the world.