IPL 2020: Night matches set to start at 8 PM IST; Mumbai to host the final

The Governing Council meeting of the Indian Premier League (IPL) took place on Monday. Ahead of the meeting, the focus was on the match timings which, many franchises were requesting to prepone to 7.30 PM IST. However, the GC has decided against the same and the games will begin, like every year, at 8 PM IST in the upcoming IPL season as well. Also, Mumbai has grabbed the rights to host the final having won the title last year.

The 13th edition of the cash-rich league is set to commence on March 29 with the final scheduled to be played on May 24. Apart from last season, the IPL generally began in the first or second week of April. However, this time around, the stakeholders have decided to reduce the number of doubleheaders. Accordingly, only five double-headers will take place and the afternoon matches will commence at 4 PM.

The BCCI President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the news in Ahmedabad while speaking to the media. “There will be no change in the timing of IPL night games. It will start from 8 pm like earlier years. There was discussion about 7:30 pm but it’s not happening. We will have only five doubleheaders (4 pm and 8 pm) this time. IPL final will be held in Mumbai,” he was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

BCCI to organise a charity game

The BCCI, in a noble gesture, has decided to organise an All Stars match before the start of the IPL which will include all the top international players for a charitable cause. More clarity is expected on this matter in the near future even as the availability of the cricketers for the game is also important.

Moreover, with the IPL set to begin on March 29, few of the teams are most likely to miss their foreign players for the first couple of games. England is scheduled to tour Sri Lanka in March for a couple of Test matches, second of which will commence on March 27 and the tour will conclude only March 31.

Even Australia is slated to tour New Zealand for a three-match T20I series which concludes on March 29, the day when the IPL will begin.