IPL 2021 Phase 2 – IPL Franchise waiting for dates: It has been 47 days since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the IPL 2021 Phase 2 will begin in the UAE but the franchises are still left in the lurch about the official dates of the remaining 31 matches and foreign players’ availability. While BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla told media that the remaining 31 games will be played between September 19 and October 15, the BCCI is yet to inform the franchises officially, making them jittery on the plans and logistics with just two months left.
Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Vishwanathan told InsideSport that they were worried about the flight ban. But even as the ban is coming to an end, they will not be visiting UAE as of yet. Instead, they are still waiting for BCCI to officially intimate about the dates and foreign players’ availability.
“We are not going to UAE yet. We are still waiting for BCCI’s official communication on the dates and only then we will go. Till then, we will be doing everything virtually,” Kasi Viswanathan said.
As franchises are waiting anxiously for official communication on dates, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told InsideSport that the dates will be announced shortly as it is still in the planning stage. “We are not announcing the dates as yet. It will come in a few days’ time,” he said.
Also Read: IPL 2021 Phase 2: BCCI gears up to host IPL 2021 in UAE ahead of T20 World Cup
Meanwhile it is further reliably learnt that BCCI has already set up their office in UAE. One of the BCCI team administration official will stay in Dubai and will liaise with Emirates Cricket Board and local authorities.
IPL 2021 Phase 2: Franchises getting jittery as no official communication from BCCI on IPL schedule and foreign players’ availability
IPL 2021 Phase 2: The situation has been made complicated by the Dubai Expo from October 1 to March 31 as the desert city expects roughly 25 million visitors and availability of hotels could be a problem. Furthermore, UAE’s flight ban on India has meant that franchise officials are not able to visit the country to plan logistics. Although the flight ban is coming to an end on July 15, franchises are still waiting for BCCI’s official communication to go ahead with their plans.
IPL 2021 Phase 2: Why BCCI’s lack of communication a problem for the franchises
– That is due to the fact that BCCI is still trying to convince other cricket boards to release players for the IPL 2021 Phase 2.
IPL 2021 Phase 2: Another franchise official said that waiting for BCCI’s official communication has hit their plans as they are not being able to book the hotels and have only been able to intimate the tentative dates. They fear that they may have to pay higher tariffs for hotels due to Dubai Expo.
“We have only heard about the dates from the media and not from the BCCI. The problem is even though Rajeev ji has announced the dates, BCCI hasn’t sent anything officially. So, booking hotels assuming that the dates stick is not realistic. So, we won’t be going to UAE now as it’s better to get a confirmation from the BCCI first,” another franchise official, who did not wish to be named, told InsideSport.
Hence, the franchises have no other option but to wait for the BCCI’s nod to start planning.
“We still don’t have any official intimation as yet from the BCCI. Unless we get an official note from BCCI, I cannot comment. Whatever we have heard, it is through the media. We are in a state of preparedness. We don’t have a problem. Whichever dates BCCI declares, we will be fine by that. Everything is being checked, hotels are being finalised, grounds have been finalised for practice. All of that is done. We are prepared. As soon we get an official confirmation, we will make our move,” a Punjab Kings official told InsideSport earlier this month.
