MUMBAI: If India holds general elections next year between April and May, as per schedule, then there would perforce have to be a major reworking of when (and even where) the BCCI stages next year’s Indian Premier League.
It also bears noting that India will be hosting the ICC World Cup in 2019, from May 30, which would also have to be factored in while drawing up the IPL schedule.
Times of India reports that in line with the Lodha Committee recommendations, as well as International Cricket Council (ICC) regulations, the Indian board will have to ensure a minimum 15-day window between the IPL and the World Cup.
To accommodate the World Cup deadlines as well as the Lodha Committee recommendations, the BCCI is already working on bringing forward the start of the 2019 IPL by close to 15-20 days, TOI reports. If that were to happen, The 2019 IPL, therefore, could begin anytime between March 15 and 20. For some context, it is worth noting that this year’s IPL will run from 4th April to 31st May.
Coming back to the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Parliament) elections, if the government decides to hold the polls as per schedule, it would mean either fully taking the event out of India (as happened in 2009) or holding a part of the IPL outside India (in 2014, it was partially held in the United Arab Emirates), depending on the dates. Both in 2009 as well as in 2014, it was general elections that necessitated the actions.
