From the very beginning, IPL has been setting new records in terms of popularity and viewership. It has got the unofficial crown of the most followed T20 league in the world due to its competitiveness and the amount of money involved in operations as well as the unregulated betting that has been talking point lately. You can check more about cricket betting with 10cric.com
The tournament has been so influential that the cricket calender of largest cricket playing nations has been tweaked to give way to the 45 day window slotted for IPL every year.
However, if the reports are to be believed, the 45 day time period of IPL scheduled for every year might get extended to 60 days from the upcoming season. This will be to make way for lesser double headers in the schedule.
Off late, IPL organisers have been facing flak for the hectic schedule of players. The second game on such days or the night game starts at 8PM and often, due to delays, such games go well beyond midnight.
Former cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar have criticised it on numerous occasions that instances like this impact the players as many of the teams have to travel on the subsequent morning to prepare for the next game. In IPL 2019, the playoffs were started at 7:30 PM instead of 8PM to ensure timely closure of match and post match presentation.
According to an Indian Express report, the IPL governing council is seriously considering making these changes and we might see an official announcement soon.
“There is a plan in place of playing more games at night. If it is passed, each team will have to play only one game in the afternoon. Teams who play in the north face heat waves and conditions get more difficult. There is a plan of using all 60 days instead of wrapping up the IPL in 45 days. The IPL GC has to approve it,” a source told the newspaper.
This will be interesting to see how these developments frame out. IPL auctions are set to take place in December in Kolkata and the tournament will be played starting April 2020.