IPL 2022 mega auction to clash with 3rd ODI between India and West Indies

The mega auction for the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is reportedly set to take place on February 12 and 13. An official announcement from the BCCI will soon come but the event is set to clash with team India’s home season as well. Not only that but an ODI between India and West Indies is scheduled to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on February 12.

However, despite the clash, the BCCI is most likely to go ahead with the mega auction. Earlier, it was expected that the auction will take place in January 2022. But the deadline extension to sign three players for the two new teams, Lucknow and Ahmedabad, meant the auction was always going to be pushed back. BCCI was investigating the links of CVC, the owner of Ahmedabad, with a betting company and might soon give a green signal to them.

Coming back to the mega auction clashing with an ODI, West Indies are scheduled to tour India for a white-ball series comprising six matches. The tour will commence with the ODI series on February 6 and will go on until February 20 when the T20Is will conclude. The third ODI of the series will be played on February 12 in Kolkata.

Both match and auction to go ahead as planned

It has been understood that the BCCI has assured that franchises that the match in Kolkata will not have any bearing on the auction. Even a franchise official confirmed the same while speaking to Cricbuzz that BCCI has provided them the clarification about the situation.

“It has been clarified to us that the match and auction are two different things and both will go ahead,” the official said. It remains to be seen now if the official broadcast rights holders, Star Sports, will have any objection to the clashing of auction and the One-Day International. BCCI has reportedly informed Star regarding the same too and their reply is still awaited.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has set a deadline of January 17 for the international boards and state associations to send names of players enrolled for auction.