A day prior to the anticipated announcement of the General Election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI), certain actions within the Indian Premier League (IPL) ecosystem have sparked speculation about the potential relocation of the T20 league outside of India due to election scheduling.
Reportedly, a few IPL franchises have taken the precautionary step of collecting passports from their players, anticipating a possible shift of the IPL’s second phase away from India owing to the impending general elections.
Nevertheless, insiders within the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have consistently affirmed their stance that the IPL will remain in India for its entirety.
According to BCCI sources, the passport collection by franchises serves as a proactive measure to address any unforeseen validity issues in the event of last-minute alterations to the schedule.
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The IPL’s inaugural leg is set to commence on March 22, with the Chennai Super Kings facing off against the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
While there were speculations prior to the commencement of the tournament about the possibility of relocating the 2024 IPL due to concurrent general elections, the BCCI proceeded to unveil the schedule for the first leg of IPL 2024, reiterating its commitment to hosting the league within India.