The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and Maharashtra Cricket Association (MHCA), which will be hosting the league stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2022) in Mumbai and Pune across four venues, and reportedly, the government has decided to allow 25 percent crowd in stadiums.
The IPL 2022 will be played from March 26 in India with three venues in Mumbai and the MCA Stadium in Pune hosting the 70 league matches of the tournament which features 10 teams including two news franchises. The venue for the four playoff matches will be decided later.
The Wankhede Stadium, the Brabourne Stadium, and the DY Patil stadium in Mumbai along with Pune will host matches, with Mumbai venues hosting 55 games while Pune will have 15 games.
Maharashtra tourism minister Aaditya Thackeray met MCA officials on Sunday (February 27) and promised all help for the IPL and agreed to allow 25 percent of crowds. The government is also encouraged by the latest Covid numbers - only two deaths reported in Mumbai in the last 24 hours and less than 1000 new cases, lowest since 2020.
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The last two editions of IPL had to be moved out of India. The IPL 2020 was entirely played in UAE in bio-bubble, while the second half of the IPL 2021 edition was played in UAE after the initial first half had to be discontinued in India due to the second wave of COVID pandemic.
However before that, on Sunday (February 27), the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association in Dharamsala accommodated over 10,000 spectators and the BCCI is hoping to continue with the trend. While the first Test against Sri Lanka at Mohali will be played behind closed doors, the second match at Bengaluru will have the crowd in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has confirmed that 50 percent of crowds - about 15,000 -- will be allowed for the March 13-17 Test against Sri Lanka. This is Kohli’s home ground in the Indian Premier League.
(Cricbuzz inputs)
