IPL 2024 Schedule Likely to be Announced in Phases Because of General Elections

The schedule of the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to be announced in phases. It is understood that the Governing Council (GC) chaired by Arun Singh Dhumal is in the middle of finalising everything and the first phase schedule of the cash-rich league will be out soon.

“We have been discussing internally and have more or less figured out the schedule but a final announcement is likely to happen the moment we get clarity and necessary clearances from the Home Ministry and Election Commission of India on the polling schedule,” says a source aware of developments.

There is no thought of moving the IPL out of the country due to the elections and the entire league will be played in India only. Like the 2019 season of the IPL, which clashed with the General Elections, the schedule will be announced in phases and the schedule of the first few games will be announced before the complete schedule – including the qualifiers, eliminator and final – is announced.

“The schedule will be announced in phases. Like it happened in 2019. For the first few games of each team, we will release the schedule soon and then we get more clarity on polling schedule and other important dates, we will announce the remainder,” adds the source.

Back in 2019, the General Elections as held in seven phases and BCCI announced the schedule of only the first two weeks of the IPL. It is, however, reliably learnt that the BCCI, IPL GC and franchises have had discussions around the tentative schedule and the cash-rich league is likely to begin towards the end of March.

India are currently playing the five-Test series against England and there will be little over a week’s rest for the Test regulars to get ready for the T20 extravaganza. It is a very crucial IPL season for the 2024 T20 World Cup hopefuls as the performances in the league would be taken into account for picking the squad for the ICC event later this year.

In an interaction on the sidelines of an event in Rajkot, BCCI secretary Jay Shah said all national selectors will be attending IPL games at different venues and added that the decision on a new selector is likely to be taken soon.

The BCCI medical team and National Cricket Academy (NCA) will also be closely monitoring the workload of players expected to make the T20 World Cup cut and Shah added that, like previous editions, all franchises will have no option but to follow what “supreme body” decides.

“Franchises will have to follow whatever BCCI decide. BCCI is the supreme body. We are above the franchises,” said Shah.