New Zealand Cricket has clarified that it has not offered to host the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, just days after it was reported that it had shown interest in hosting the tournament.
According to ANI, NZC spokesperson told Radio New Zealand that the reports saying that the cricket body offered to host the IPL this year was “simply speculation”. “We have not offered to host the IPL nor have we had an approach to do so,” NZC spokesperson Richard Boock was quoted as saying.
Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates have so far offered to organise the 2020 IPL in their respective countries as India struggles with a surge in COVID-19 cases.
This year’s IPL, which was scheduled to begin from March 29, was indefinitely postponed after the suspension of global sports activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is looking at the possibility of holding the IPL in the October-November window. However, no decision has been taken in this regard after the International Cricket Council deferred the meeting to decide the fate of the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to be held later this year.
The BCCI had also said that the IPL may be conducted irrespective of the ICC’s decision on the T20 World Cup, and the decision will be taken in the next IPL governing council’s meeting.
The board is staring at a financial loss to the tune of Rs 4,000 crore if the IPL is not held this year.
BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal had reiterated that the board’s priority is to hold the IPL in India, and staging it abroad will be the last option.
