IPL 2022: Franchises Want These Indian Cities as Match Venues

The BCCI is considering the dates for the IPL 2022, with some favouring a March 27 beginning and others preferring the major tournament to begin on April 2, as per the Lodha Committee judgment.

"Some owners favour a March 27 start date, but India play their final international game against Sri Lanka, a T20I in Lucknow on March 18, and then you need a 14-day gap as per Lodha regulation, which is why April 2 might be the start date," said a top BCCI official.

The Indian players are expected to be tired following three back-to-back contests in South Africa (away) and at home against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.

"The BCCI must consider players' bubble fatigue if they resume IPL within 10 days of the conclusion of the Sri Lanka trip," a BCCI source said.

It has also been revealed that all ten IPL owners, including the two new clubs from Lucknow and Ahmedabad, want India to host the 2022 IPL, with Mumbai and Pune being the two favoured destinations.

Their second possibility is the United Arab Emirates, where the IPL has been hosted three times, and their third alternative is South Africa, where the major event was held in 2009.

However, the UAE and South Africa will only enter the picture if India's COVID-19 scenario worsens.

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"There are three fields in Mumbai, and we have the Pune ground, which is more on the highway than in Pune city. It will take place at Wankhede, Brabourne, DY Patil Stadium, and Gahunje Stadium. So there will be no air travel, and there may be bubble in one city with no bubble-to-bubble transmission," the official stated.

The second possibility is the UAE, where bio-bubbles are strictly enforced and both editions have been successful.

"South Africa is the final possibility, but we aren't even considering it right now." It's the last option. When it comes to crowd admission, a call cannot be easily made. It will be taken closer to the event," official added