Reports: IPL 2019 likely to be played in Dubai

The 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) came to an end recently. It was yet another successful edition of the tournament. In fact, it will not be wrong to concede that 2018 edition proved to be the best one for the organizers till date. The season lived up to all the hype and buzz. It was not only popular among the fans on the field but also on the social media.

Needless to concede, the tournament is very dear to the Indian audiences. However, if the star do not align well in the favor of the competition, it is very much likely that the 2019 edition of the IPL will be shifted out of the country. The reason behind this is the potential clash of dates of the tournament with the General Elections in India.

As per the reports in Khaleej Times, the IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla has remarked that if the dates clash with the elections, then the tournament will not get security. And thereby, the tournament will have to be shifted overseas. “If it clashes with those dates (of the elections) then we will not get security. Then for that period we will have to move it out overseas,” IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said.

Dubai the first choice

Well, if in case the tournament will have to be shifted out of India, Dubai seems to be the front-runner in the race to host the mega event. This will not be the first time when the tournament will be shifted out of India or when the tournament will be played in Dubai. In the 2014 edition, the first half of the IPL season was played in the UAE.

It was the same clash with the general elections that had forced the tournament to be staged outside India. Five years prior to that, in the year 2009, the tournament was played in South Africa. While the 2014 edition of the IPL was moved partially out of India, the 2009 edition saw the entire season being played in South Africa.

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