IPL 2020 suspended indefinitely after lockdown extension

New Delhi:The BCCI has suspended the 2020 edition of IPL indefinitely, after the extension of lockdown in the country till May 3, to combat the spread of Novel Coronavirus. 

The 2020 season, which had earlier been postponed to April 15, will not be held in the regular summer window, ESPNCricinfo reported on Wednesday. According to the report, all eight franchises were informed of the decision by Hemang Amin, IPL's chief operating officer.

Amin told the franchises that following the extension of the nationwide lockdown till May 3 by the Indian government, there was no possibility of hosting the event in the regular summer window.

The decision follows a meeting among the BCCI's top brass over a conference call on Tuesday evening. Among those involved in the discussions were BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, Secretary Jay Shah, IPL chairman Brijesh Patel, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, and Amin.

This is the second time the BCCI has been forced to defer the IPL, which was originally scheduled to be held between March 29 and May 24.

Last month, after the government had put the country in a three-week lockdown,  there was speculation about making the IPL a closed-door event (to be played in empty stadiums and televised), before the start date was officially deferred to April 15.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an extension of the lockdown until May 3, even as all domestic and international travel in and out of the country remained blocked, which made it clear that there would be no chance of hosting the IPL in the foreseeable future.

On Wednesday, the death toll due to COVID-19 increased to 392 in the country and the total number of infections neared the 12,000-mark, including 1,343 people, who had recovered. (UNI)