The Indian Premier League could be heading to foreign shores for a third time as election season looms in the country. The BCCI is considering the option to move the 12th edition of the tournament to either South Africa or the United Arab Emirates this year.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India officials' meeting with the sports ministry has sparked off the speculation although there has been no official word on the same.
The IPL, which started in 2008, has been previously held outside the country twice. South Africa hosted the tournament in 2009 and the UAE partially hosted it in 2014―both times because of the Lok Sabha elections.
This year's IPL is also set to clash with the elections, in addition to the ICC World Cup. The elections are due during March and April this year. The IPL is usually held during April-May every year. This time, the World Cup is beginning on May 30 in England. The Justice Lodha committee regulations mandate a 15-day gap between the IPL and any upcoming tournament.
BCCI CEO Rahul Johri had recently said that despite the difficulties, the Board is looking to host the cash-rich tournament in India. However, similar to the situation in 2009 and 2014, the government may not be able to provide adequate security for the tournament. Furthermore, shifting the tournament poses a logistical nightmare for the Board, the franchises and the broadcaster.
