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No proposal from Sri Lanka Cricket to host IPL 2020: BCCI official

WION Web Team
New Delhi, Delhi, IndiaUpdated: Apr 17, 2020, 04:12 PM IST
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Photograph:(PTI)

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A senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed the reports suggesting that Sri Lanka has proposed to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.

A senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has dismissed the reports suggesting that Sri Lanka has proposed to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020, which has been proposed ‘till further notice’ following Indian government’s move to extend the countrywide lockdown to the curb the spread of COVID-19.

The board official has said that the BCCI will not be in any position to say anything regarding IPL 2020 till lockdown doesn’t end. The official further confirmed that the BCCI has not received any proposal from the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and hence, no discussion has taken place on that matter.

“The BCCI will not be in a position to say anything when the world is closed,” a senior Board official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

“There is no proposal from SLC yet and obviously no discussion,” the official on being asked about the BCCI’s stand when the offer is on table.

Earlier on Thursday, a report in Sri Lankan newspaper – Lankadeepa- suggested that Sri Lanka cricket president Shammi Silva had already written to the BCCI in what was a proposal to shift the 13th edition of IPL to Sri Lanka and that the country is ready to provide all facilities in consultation with the government and medical experts.

“Apparently it will cost the BCCI and its stakeholders more than $500 million to cancel the IPL. So perhaps they can minimise those losses by hosting the tournament in another country,” Silva was quoted as saying to Sinhala daily Lankadeepa.

“If they play it in Sri Lanka, it’s easy for Indian audiences to watch the games on TV. There’s precedent for this because they’ve played the IPL in South Africa before. We’re waiting for the Indian board to respond to our proposal,” he added.

Speculations are rife that the BCCI could look to the October-November window for the IPL if the ICC T20 World Cup is postponed.