IPL: BCCI likely to add only one team in IPL 2022 – Reports

IPL: BCCI likely to add only one team in IPL 2022 – Reports

IPL Trophy

IPL 2020

Soon after the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came to an end in the UAE, speculations were rife that two new teams will be added to the tournament in 2021. A decision on the same was scheduled to be taken in the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) Annual General Meeting. It was decided that from 2022, two new teams would be added and that a mega-auction would be held for the same.

This meant that the 2021 IPL would follow the same format as the one in 2020 with 8 teams and a mini-auction. The auction is scheduled to be held in mid-February with the exact date yet to be announced while franchises have been asked to announce their list of players retained by January 20.

BCCI doesn’t want format change; prefers 9-team IPL – Reports

BCCI

It has now been understood, according to a report in The Times of India that the BCCI does not want the league and playoff format of the IPL to change. Therefore, they are said to favor a tournament with 9 teams instead of 10 which would only lead to the lengthening of the tournament if the current format is not changed. Further, the BCCI has also reportedly vouched for the time window of the IPL to be extended by a month and are making efforts to request the ICC to approve the same.

“All said, it’s a well-thought move. The BCCI will clearly benefit in the short and long run because it’ll derive better value from the 10th franchise in the future, doesn’t really disturb the ecosystem for now, buys them more time to put their own house in order,” TOI quoted a source as saying. It thus, remains to be seen as to what decisions the BCCI and ICC now take with regard to how the IPL will look and be played in a years’ time.

Also Read: IPL 2021: CSK ‘unsure’ on whether Suresh Raina should be retained – Reports