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Amid Covid-19 concerns, BCCI considers moving the IPL to Mumbai
Relocating the IPL to Mumbai has emerged as a serious option for the BCCI as it looks to minimize the risks after several Covid-19 related cases were reported from both the venues currently hosting the tournament. If things go to plan, Mumbai could be hosting matches as early as the coming weekend.
This will call for a rearranged tournament schedule, with multiple doubleheaders. There is also a likelihood of the IPL final being moved from May 30 to early June.
The biggest challenge for the BCCI in making its Mumbai plan work is to create the IPL bubble, which mainly entails finding hotels for the eight teams to be housed in and preparing the stadia. Luckily, in terms of match fitness, all the three key grounds in Mumbai - Wankhede, DY Patil, and Brabourne - were utilized during the first leg of the IPL in April.
While the Wankhede hosted 10 IPL matches, the other two grounds, and the Mumbai Cricket Association's ground in the Bandra-Kurla Complex, was used by various teams for training purposes.
It is understood that the BCCI team made calls on Monday to various big hotels in Mumbai to verify if they were capable of satisfying the various SOPs needed to create a team bubble. No BCCI and IPL official was available for comment. Franchises, too, have not heard of the plan formally, but some say they will not be surprised if the Mumbai plan was acted on.
