IPL-2022

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

With every passing day, the chances of IPL being conducted in India are getting dull. The BCCI has indicated moving the Indian T20 League out of the country once again with the worsening COVID-19 situation in India. A recent report has revealed that the BCCI is 'exploring overseas options' but is hoping to host the tournament in India. The Indian cricket board also said that holding the auctions on time is a prime concern for them as of now.

The IPL 2022 Mega Auctions were scheduled to take place in Bengaluru on 12 and 13 February. But, with the Karnataka government imposing stricter restrictions to curb the spread of the virus, BCCI is left with two options- either to move the auctions out of Bengaluru or to postpone it until the situation normalizes. However, the second option does not look feasible if the tournament is to start on time.

"We are exploring all options which include overseas IPL as well. But our focus is to host IPL in India for sure. As of now our priority is auction, we will soon take a call," said a BCCI source as quoted by India Today.

Also Read: IPL 2022 likely to happen without spectators as BCCI plans to keep tournament in India: Reports

BCCI has not been able to host a whole season of IPL in India since 2019

If IPL 2022 is also moved out of India, it will be three seasons in a row when BCCI will be hosting the tournament out of the country. The board has not been able to host a full season of the Indian Premier League in India since 2019. They tried doing it in 2021 but had to call it off midway due to a bio-bubble burst. UAE has been the go-to option for BCCI in the recent past and if things don't improve here in India, The BCCI will be forced to host another season of IPL in the UAE.

Talking about the COVID-19 situation in the country, the signs are ominous with the exponential rise in daily cases. India recorded a total of 1,59,632 new Covid-19 infections on Sunday, 12.4 percent higher than Saturday, according to data shared by the Union Health Ministry. Of this, 3,623 cases were of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of coronavirus.