While the IPL 2024 is expected to get underway in March, there is absolutely no clarity over its schedule and venue. The seventeenth edition of the tournament is set to be played from March to May before the T20 World Cup takes place in June.
IPL 2023 was played from March 31 to May 29. However, IPL 2024 is set to begin early as well as finish early in order to give the players the time to recover and prepare for the T20 World Cup which is scheduled to begin on June 1. The BCCI, however, is yet to deliver an update on the schedule.
According to media reports, the reason behind the delay as well as confusion is the General Elections in India this year. The schedule and the venue for this year’s IPL are completely conditional to the schedule of the General Elections which will take place in the summer.
IPL 2024 matches to be played in Sri Lanka:
Several media reports have stated that IPL 2024 is set to be held entirely in India despite the General Elections. While IPL 2019 was held completely in India despite the elections, the tournament was moved outside the country in 2009 and 2014. IPL 2009 was played completely in South Africa while in 2014, a part of the tournament was held in the UAE.
While only time will tell the venue for IPL 2024, Sri Lankan media has reported that there is a possibility of Sri Lanka hosting a few games this year. According to Sports Pavilion journalist Danushka Aravinda, BCCI secretary Jay Shah and Sri Lanka’s Sports Minister Harin Fernando recently held a meeting. During the meeting, Fernando requested the BCCI secretary to allow Sri Lanka to host a few IPL 2024 games.
“There has been a sudden meeting between Sri Lanka Sports Minister @fernandoharin
and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Sri Lankan Sports Minister Harin Fernando said that he has requested to hold few matches of the upcoming IPL tournament in Sri Lanka,” wrote Aravinda on X.
There has been a sudden meeting between Sri Lanka Sports Minister @fernandoharin and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Sri Lankan Sports Minister Harin Fernando said that he has requested to hold few matches of the upcoming IPL tournament in Sri Lanka.#sportspavilionlk #IPL2024 #IPL pic.twitter.com/Hh0E5HxYDV
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda) January 11, 2024
With the general elections to take place this year, the BCCI might agree to conduct a few games in Sri Lanka. The Island nation hosted the Asia Cup last year before suffering a huge setback when the ICC stripped them of the hosting rights for the ICC U19 World Cup. The ICC took the decision after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) failed to stop government interference in its administration.
