Indore asks BCCI to allot playoff ties for IPL 2018

Although the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) revealed the fixtures for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on February 14, the list of associations wanting to host the playoff games of this edition of the high-profile T20 league grew bigger. While Mumbai has been allotted two fixtures in the playoffs, there are other states and associations who are keen to host the remainder of the matches.

Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) has initially asked for the allotment of two more playoff ties for Pune on the basis of the fact that the now defunct Rising Pune Supergiant finished as runners-up in their last edition. Following suit, now Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has expressed its willingness to host these matches. In a letter addressed to the BCCI, MPCA secretary Milind Kanmadikar has requested for allotment of IPL playoff matches to Indore.

Excerpts from the letter

The letter read, “We place before you our request for allotment of playoff segment matches of the forthcoming IPL season to us, which we shall stage at Holkar Stadium, Indore. Our venue has witnessed several exciting matches, international as well as domestic, attracting record-break crowd attendance at each instance.

“While our pitches and outfield has received accolades for its premium quality, we also have demonstrated our organising abilities whenever the opportunity of hosting big matches was given to us. The city of Indore can offer other conveniences like hotels, air connectivity etc. required for such matches,” if further read.

Indore is also one of the two home grounds of KXIP

Indore has gained much prominence in the recent years after hosting multiple high-octane international as well as domestic matches.

It has been the home to Kings XI Punjab in their last season and hosted three games at the start of the campaign. This year too, Indore will be one of the home grounds for the Punjab-based franchise. And like last season, KXIP are playing their first three games in Indore.

Hosting playoffs at neutral venues makes a lot of sense, especially in a venue like Indore that has witnessed an ecstatic reception and a sizeable crowd everytime an international match is played.