IPL 2020 not taking place in India discourages Bangladesh's BPL from happening this year

The Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) season, after months of delay due to the ongoing coronavirus global pandemic, finally settled with a launch date and a venue. While it was originally intended to kick-off on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the tournament was recently shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL Governing Council. The decision was made due to the rising coronavirus cases in India and keeping in mind, the contagious nature of the disease.

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IPL 2020 shift in venue discourages BCB from organising Bangladesh Premier League

Much like the IPL 2020, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also launched its own premier T20 event in the form of Bangladesh Premier League back in 2012. The tournament is usually conducted for a month-and-a-half every year during the winter season. However, the Bangladesh Premier League 2020 season is likely to be postponed, as per a recent statement made by BCB’s President Nazmul Hasan Papon.

While issuing a media statement, Nazmul Hasan Papon said that organising the Bangladesh Premier League 2020 in the country looks “very difficult” after considering the current coronavirus crisis in their country. He added that even the BCCI shifted their IPL 2020 season after realising that the event cannot be held in India. According to the BCB President, even though the IPL 2020 will be played in the UAE for safety concerns, many players will not be able to tour the desert country as well.

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The Bangladesh Premier League, much likes its Indian counterpart, composes of local and overseas cricketers. Papon said that even if they started the Bangladesh Premier League with 20-30 players who are coronavirus negative, “no one can guarantee” that they will not become positive as the tournament goes ahead. He expressed fears of the contagious disease by saying that recent reports are even indicating the coronavirus can be airborne. The BCB President, however, also confirmed that the cricketing action can resume once the situation improves in the country.

CPL 2020 and IPL dates for 2020 season

While the future of Bangladesh Premier League 2020 looks uncertain at the moment, fans of the shortest format of the game will still be graced with the upcoming Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2020) and the IPL 2020 season. The CPL 2020 is scheduled to commence on August 18 in Trinidad and Tobago. On the other hand, the BCCI confirmed the IPL dates for the 2020 season to be between September 19 and November 10.

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CPL 2020: A detailed look at CPL schedule

IPL dates for 2020 announced

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Image credits: Cricket World Cup on Twitter