0:
The Indian Premier League (IPL) is getting bigger every season and no one is stopping that. The outrageous bids for media rights of the world’s biggest T20 league showed what IPL holds for the future. While many are scratching their heads after seeing that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will be making a whopping revenue of Rs 48,390 crore for a five-year period through IPL's media rights, the board’s secretary is not surprised at all.
After the e-auction of IPL media rights concluded on Tuesday, Jay Shah spoke to news agency PTI on multiple subjects including the duration of the league. In the interview, Shah confirmed that the Indian Premier League will be having a two-and-a-half-month window from the next year itself and has got clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC) as well.
When asked about how the BCCI is looking to host 94 games in a season, Shah revealed that the BCCI will be having a long window to host these games. “That is an aspect we have worked upon. Let me inform you that from the next ICC FTP calendar, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half-month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC,” said Jay Shah.
We are having a discussion: Shah on conducting IPL in two phases
The BCCI secretary also talked about conducting IPL in two phases. Jay Shah said that the board is in discussion with various stakeholders and a decision will be made after getting clearance from everyone involved.
“We are having discussions with various stakeholders. There are also multiple proposals for all the IPL franchises of playing friendlies overseas. That idea is being seriously contemplated but for that we also need to speak to other boards as we would need to know the schedule of international players,” said Jay Shah.
Notably, the Indian Premier League got bigger with the addition of two new teams in its 15th edition. However, not all ten teams got to play twice against each other in the league stage as there were only 74 games played. But the BCCI is planning on doing so in the 2027 edition.