BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had recently, in a letter to the state associations, cleared his intention of holding the IPL 2020 later this year. The IPL 13 was supposed to begin from March 29, but the COVID-19 pandemic led to the tournament being suspended indefinitely.  

According to media reports, the BCCI has zeroed in from 26 September to 8 November as the tentative schedule for the 13th edition of the IPL.

BCCI going ahead with its plans to hold IPL later this year: Sourav Ganguly to state associations

"In that regard, the statement coming from Sourav Ganguly as the president of BCCI that the IPL will happen at some stage, that's great news not only for Indian cricketers but for all cricketers around the world as well. I'm looking forward to it as well. That does give a lot of reassurance to all the cricketers,” Pathan said on Star Sports show 'Cricket Connected'.

Now that Cricket Australia has cleared that they will be unable to hold the T20 World Cup amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the chances of hosting the IPL in that window have gotten much better.

"I just read the statement yesterday that they are trying their best to have an IPL. Everybody is looking forward to that stage," Pathan said.

Pathan believes that hosting the entire tournament comprising of teams from 16 countries with quarantine restrictions in place to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, seems logistically difficult.

"A lot of people are talking about the World Cup happening in Australia, I have my doubts because, in Australia, I have been there. These guys in Australia follow their rules very particularly. Even if it's the smallest rule, they go by the norm," Pathan said.

"They look after each and every situation. Getting quite a few games altogether, with the quarantine and everything, I think it looks very difficult," he added.

(PTI inputs)