IPL 2018: SCA hopeful of hosting one playoff game

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to enter in its new decade on April 7 this year with the game between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. BCCI released the schedule of the cash-rich T20 tournament last week in which Mumbai was awarded the hosting rights of Qualifier 1 and the final. But they didn’t announce the venues for the other playoff matches. However, Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) is hopeful of staging one of the matches and have requested the Indian board accordingly.

Saurashtra hosted a lot of IPL matches in the last couple of seasons as it was the home ground for Gujarat Lions, the franchise which was due to play only for two years. Now, with the return of suspended teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, there are no league matches scheduled to be played at the venue. According to the norm, BCCI has always preferred to stage Eliminator and the second qualifier at the same ground given the quick turnaround between the two matches.

SCA hopeful of a positive response

Saurashtra Cricket Association has requested both, the Indian board and the IPL Governing Council, in an email for a chance to host at least one playoff game for the season. They successfully hosted 10 matches during the ninth and tenth edition of the tournament. “We have successfully staged ten IPL matches during Season 9 and Season 10, our stadium being the home ground of the Gujarat Lions. All these matches were well administered and had a very good response,” the email stated according to PTI.

The state cricket association was hopeful of a positive response from the BCCI and are waiting for the same. Their media release further stated, “Hosting a playoff match to be staged during the upcoming season will meaningfully enhance the enthusiasm of cricket loving spectators of IPL in general and Gujarat in particular.” It remains to be seen if the IPL GC obliges to the request in the upcoming days.

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