The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has received the formal approval of central government to host the 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) in UAE, IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed on Monday (August 10).
The IPL 2020 will be played entirely in UAE from September 10 to November 19, with Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah hosting the 60 matches.
Last week, the government had given an "in principle" go ahead to BCCI to host the tournament in UAE due to the growing COVID-19 cases in India.
"Yes, we have received all the written approvals," Patel told PTI when he was asked whether the permission has come in writing from both the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"Once we had the verbal okay from the government, we had intimated the Emirates Cricket Board. Now we have the papers also, so franchises can be intimated that everything is in order," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
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Most of the franchises will now be flying out their players and support staff to UAE after August 20, with two mandatory RT-PCR (COVID-19 tests) conducted on each member of the touring party from their base within 24 hours.
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BCCI will be hoping to seal a new title sponsorship deal soon after VIVO backed out for this season following massive outrage against the Chinese owned mobile company over the Sino-India border stand-off in the Ladakh area.
(With PTI inputs)
