When IPL 2021 was abruptly halted in the midst of India’s second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, it raised a slew of unanswered mysteries. While there was no doubt that phase 2 of IPL 2021 would take place, the major question was where it would take place if it did.
Well, it appears that our questions have been addressed, as Sabby Dwivedi aka Amit,India’s youngest & most famous sports predictor, is looking at a three-week window starting September 18 or September 19 and ending October 9 or October 10 for the tournament’s final.
While BCCI is yet to make an official statement, Sabby Dwivedi aka Amit analysis implies how BCCI will run phase 2 of the tournament, which has 31 matches left in the three-week window.
“If we look at the current status of the IPL 2021, it is practically halfway over with around 31 matches remaining.” Sabby stated. BCCI had and required an additional 28 days to complete this, based on the original schedule. However, the 28-day window would no longer be conceivable because BCCI would only have 21 days in the September-October timeframe.”
Adding to the comment he explains, “Considering the future tours for Team India, they will play the World Test Championship final versus New Zealand in June, followed by a 5-match Test series vs England from August 4 to September 14, 2021. It is almost certain that the Test Series calendar will not change, and if IPL 2021 must take place, it will only be after September 14 and before October 14, when the T20 World Cup is likely to begin.”
He continues, “After the final Test, it is expected that England and Team India players will fly off from Manchester and serve a two-day quarantine in the UAE. This means that the IPL 2021 season will not begin until September 18, 2021. The players, on the other hand, would require at least one day to warm up and return to normal life. As a result, starting the tournament on September 18 does not appear to be a good idea, and September 19 appears to be the most likely day.”
As a result, he proposes that the IPL 2021 season might begin on September 19, 2021. It will be interesting to see how BCCI can squeeze the 31 matches into the 3-week time frame. The most likely date for the IPL 2021 final is October 10, which falls on a Sunday. If this is correct, the BCCI will have a total of 21 days to organize the event.
“Overall, the three venues, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, would host a total of 9 group stage matches each,” Sabby Dwivedi aka Amit said when questioned about desired match locations. Two matches should be held in Dubai and two in Abu Dhabi during the knockout stages. As with the IPL 2020 final, the final is set to be held in Dubai. All teams would have matches scheduled in these three sites, albeit the frequency may vary, and that concludes my analysis and projection for the new IPL 2021 UAE schedule.”
It’s no secret that the IPL is one of the most highly awaited sporting events of the year. With India now battling the pandemic, the IPL 2021 would provide a glimmer of hope and optimism. All we can hope for is that BCCI makes its decision shortly.
