New Delhi: On a day when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed to IANS that the decision-makers in the board are divided 3-2 over whether they should host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League in India or abroad, the Emirates Cricket Board has confirmed that it has made an offer to the BCCI to host the cash-rich league.
Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary of Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) told Gulf News: “We have a proven record of being hosts as a neutral venue for various bilateral and multi-nation cricket activities in the past. Our state-of-the-art venues and facilities make the Emirates a desired place for hosting all types of cricket.
“We have come forward and offered our venues to both England and India. In the past, Emirates Cricket Board has successfully hosted IPL matches in UAE. We have also hosted matches involving England team on multiple occasions previously. If our offer is taken up by either of the boards, then we will be pleased to facilitate hosting of their matches.”
A BCCI official on Saturday morning told IANS that while the general thought is that having the league in India will mean that the country has come out of the clutches of the coronavirus pandemic, there are a few who feel that if the situation demands, the league can be taken to places outside India.
“See, it is a case of the decision makers being divided 3-2 if that is how you wish to understand the current scenario. Without going into the names of who said what, all I can tell you is that the general feeling is that having the league in India would not only be a sign of positivity amongst the people of the country, but will also help as we will not need to travel abroad and act to fresh set of guidelines.
“But then, there are a couple of voices who also feel that having the tournament should be the priority and if that means taking it out of the country, so be it. So, while the designated people are working on the plan, the venue is an area which will need further deliberation. Also, at the end of the day safety of the players and everyone involved is priority,” the official explained.
An official of a franchise echoed the sentiments and said that priority should always be having the game in the country. “See, if you have the league in the country, it is a positive signal to not just the world, but also to the people in India that we have managed to get back to normalcy. Also, the expenses go up quite a bit if you go outside. So, for us and I think for most of the teams, India would be first choice,” the official said.
