The remaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 will be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) announced on Saturday. This year's IPL season was suspended on May 4 after multiple players had tested positive for COVID-19. The BCCI has now found a new window in the months of September and October 2021 when the remaining matches of the IPL 2021 season can be organised in UAE.
"The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced to complete the remaining matches of VIVO Indian Premier League 2021 season in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E) considering the monsoon season in India in the months of September-October this year," noted BCCI Secretary Jay Shah in an official statement.
Cricket's richest body added that the decision was taken at a Special General Meeting (SGM) held virtually on Saturday, where board members unanimously agreed to resume IPL 2021 in UAE. "The BCCI SGM further authorised the Office Bearers to seek an extension of time from the ICC to take an appropriate call on the hosting of ICC T20 World Cup 2021," Shah added.
There are 31 matches remaining in IPL 2021 and these will now be played in the UAE. This will be the first time that the UAE is hosting the IPL for two years in a row. In 2020, the entire tournament was played in the Emirates due to the COVID-19 outbreak in India.
A BCCI delegation will soon travel to the UAE to start detailed planning for conducting the remaining matches of IPL 2021 there. IPL 2021 is expected to resume on September 19 or 20 while the final match is likely to be played on October 10, according to a Sports Today report.
The BCCI has been actively looking for a window to resume IPL 2021 ever since it got suspended in the first week of May.
There are no international matches under the ICC's Future Tour Programme (FTP), scheduled to be held in the time period BCCI has zeroed in on for conducting the remaining matches of IPL 2021.