Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have started working on logistics after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI ) announced the remaining games of the IPL 2021 will be played in the UAE in the September-October window.Â
While they are looking to shift base to the UAE by the third week of August, a final call will be taken after discussions with BCCI on quarantine protocols among other things. The availability of foreign stars is still in doubt as the IPL will be closely followed by the T20 World Cup.
Franchises are confident that BCCI will engage in positive discussions with the foreign boards and make sure that the foreign players available for the remaining games. Speaking to ANI, an official of one of the franchises said initial planning and discussions have started, but the exact time of moving to the UAE would also depend on the quarantine rules that BCCI reaches an agreement with Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and the UAE government.
Another official told ANI that teams are focused on knowing about the availability of foreign cricketers for the remaining games. Some of the boards might have T20 World Cup preparations on top of their mind and could be reluctant to leave their players for the IPL.
BCCI is also unsure about the availability of most of the foreign cricketers in IPL 2021. England has already said that English players will not be taking part in the remainder of IPL 2021. Players from New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan are also doubtful, so are the players from the West Indies. Cricket Australia is yet to decide on the availability of Australian players for the remaining games of IPL 2021. Reports have suggested that overseas players will lose a big chunk of salaries if they are not able to play in the remaining games of IPL 2021. BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has insisted that IPL 2021 will go ahead irrespective of the availability of overseas players.