IPL falls behind CPL, BBL in one major way for 2020 as tournament's fate remains uncertain

With England and West Indies resuming international cricket season with three-match Test series, fans can look forward to domestic T20 action after Australia and West Indies anunced BBL 2020 schedule and CPL 2020 schedule for upcoming season. With BBL 2020 and CPL 2020 dates confirmed future of Indian Premier League (IPL), however, still remains in dark.

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Why is future of IPL 2020 still unclear?

IPL 2020 was originally scheduled to get underway on March 29 with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings playing opening match of tournament opener at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. However, tournament was postponed due to global COVID-19 issue. 

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BCCI President Sourav Ganguly recently hinted at possibility of IPL 2020 being conducted outside India. Ganguly opined that country will have to bear with COVID-19 pandemic at least till end of this year or beginning of 2021. This statement by Sourav Ganguly effectively rules out India's chances of organising cricketing extravaganza at home.

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Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had recently said that y were eyeing a September-vember window to host IPL 2020 should ICC T20 World Cup that is scheduled to be held in Australia later this year be cancelled. With International Cricket Council (ICC) yet to decide fate of T20 World Cup, fate of IPL still hangs in balance.

BBL 2020 schedule

With IPL schedule t out as yet, Cricket Australia (CA) has anunced BBL 2020 schedule where 61 matches will be played in of over 2 months despite COVID-19 pandemic. As per BBL 2020 schedule, tournament will start 2 weeks before than it did last year with Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades playing opening fixture on December 3.

final of tournament will be played on February 6. opening match of BBL 10 also coincides with start of India's tour of Australia as it will be played right after stumps of Day 1 of 1st Test at Gabba, Brisbane. BBL 2020 schedule will also allow organisers some room to change fixtures in a case drastic measures is required to be taken due to COVID-19.

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CPL 2020 schedule

Coming to CPL 2020 schedule, entire tournament will be played behind closed doors from August 18 to September 20.  anuncement of CPL 2020 schedule was made after tournament received local government permission to host tournament. All matches will take place at Trinidad & Tobago. This year, Kings XI Punjab has also joined CPL bandwagon after owners of team bought St. Lucia Zouks franchise, which will be led by West Indies' 2-time T20 World Cup-winning captain, Darren Sammy 

CPL 2020 will feature star players turning out, with likes of Rashid Khan, Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Mohammad Nabi, Anrich rtje among ors picked in draft. Pravin Tambe will become first Indian to play in tournament after getting picked by Trinbago Knight Riders in draft. 48-year-old who was picked up by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in IPL auction was later disqualified after t taking permission to play in T10 league in Dubai.

CPL will have team owners of KKR and Kings XI Punjab represent Trinidad (Trinbago Knight Riders) and St. Lucia (St. Lucia Zouks) respectively.

(IM: INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE/TWITTER)