The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League is set to get underway on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with Mumbai Indians kicking off the campaign on their home ground.
Speaking to IANS, a Delhi Capitals official said that the starting date is set to be 29 March with defending champions Mumbai Indians playing the opener at Wankhede.
"I am told that the 2020 edition of the IPL will start on March 29 at Wankhede," the official said.
This means that the teams playing the first couple of games will miss the services of the Australian, English and Kiwi foreign recruits as there will be two international series on at that point in time with Australia and New Zealand clashing in a T20I series that has the last game on March 29 and the England-Sri Lanka Test series which ends on March 31.
Speaking to IANS, a senior official of one of the franchises had earlier said that they were keeping fingers crossed that the IPL Governing Council will go back to the old format of having double headers through the tournament and start around April 1.
"See, while the Australia-New Zealand series ends with the final T20I being played on March 29, the second Test of the series between England and Sri Lanka technically ends only on March 31,” the official had said.
“In such a scenario, you start the season minus your big players and that isn’t a happy occasion. If we do start from April 1, the scenario looks so much better. Hopefully, the IPL GC will see what we are speaking about makes for a consideration,” the official added.
But looks like the IPL Governing Council is keen on doing away with too many double headers and want to ensure that fans get the best of viewing time.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)