The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to hold a meeting with Indian Premier League (IPL) team owners sometime next month to discuss the alternate plans of conducting the 2022 season of the lucrative league, amid the threat posed by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the country. India is witnessing a rapid increase in the number of Omicron cases lately and is learnt that the board is understandably concerned about the COVID-driven health hazards nationwide in April-May, when the IPL 2022 is scheduled.
According to a Cricbuzz report, the BCCI is likely to discuss all the scenarios with the franchise owners. However, the option of going back to UAE, apparently, is off the drawing board. Notably, the original plan for the league, which is likely to kick off on April 2 in Chennai, is to hold the games normally on home-and-away basis if there is no deterioration in the COVID-19 situation in the country. But, if the situation doesn`t allow it, then the alternative plans will be activated by the board.
The organisers are also exploring the idea of holding the whole tournament just in Mumbai and Pune or in the Gujarat cities of Ahmedabad, Baroda and Rajkot if the COVID-19 Omicron situation worsens. And, the owners will be informed about the alternatives as well as things to look forward to in the mega auction
Earlier, the BCCI had to halt the IPL 2021 midway in May after multiple COVID-19 cases inside the league`s bio-bubble came to light. Later, the second leg of the league was played in UAE. The 2022 season of IPL will be a ten-team affair after the addition of two new teams – Lucknow and Ahmedabad, who are making their debut in the lucrative league.
(with IANS inputs)
