BCCI working towards hosting IPL 2020 in empty stadium

Kolkata:The Indian cricket board is looking all options if IPL-2020 could be played by this year, even if hosting in empty stadium.

"BCCI ( Board of Control for Cricket in India) is looking at all possibilities of hosting IPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums," a media report, attributed to board president Sourav Ganguly said today.

"The BCCI is working on all possible options to ensure that we are able to stage theIPL this year, even if it means playing the tournament in empty stadiums.The fans, franchisees, players, broadcasters, sponsors and all other stakeholders arekeenly looking forward to the possibility of IPL being hosted this year," Ganguly's letter,to the affiliated members of the board across the country, said.

The report said the board is going ahead with its plans to stage the IPL later this yeardespite the International Cricket Council (ICC) taking its time to decide on the fate of theICC T20 World Cup in October.

In a letter to the state associations on Wednesday (June 10), BCCI president SouravGanguly has stated that the board will shortly decide on the future course of action. BCCIis willing to host the event, that is critical to its revenue, in empty stadium.

"Recently a lot of players, both from India and other countries, participating in IPL have also shown their keenness on being a part of this year's IPL. We are optimistic and the BCCI will shortly decide on the future course of action on this," the letter added.(UNI)