BCCI is looking to host the entire IPL 2022 at Maharashtra - if it's ruled out then UAE will be the option

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking to host the entire IPL 2022 in Maharashtra. BCCI is using plan B here because of the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country. According to TOI, BCCI is looking to host the tournament across three venues in Mumbai. The three stadiums are Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, and the DY PatilStadium in Navi Mumbai. The BCCI is also considering the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Gahunje, near Pune as the fourth venue for IPL 2022.

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BCCI's interim CEO and the Chief Operating Officer of IPL, Hemang Amin has approached Vijay Patil (MCA president)in this matter in the MCA's Apex Council Meeting. Amin and Patil met Sharad Power at the NCP supremo's residence a few days later. Meanwhile, Sharad Power has given his green signal to the BCCI's proposal.

In the next week, BCCI and MCA officials met Maharashtra CM Uddav Thackeray and state Chief Secretary Debasish Chakrabarty to arrange the necessary permission in this regard. The tournament will be played in a strict bio bubble with no crowds. The players and the support staff will be tested frequently - a reliable source confirmed to TOI.

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IPL 2022 to be held in Maharashtra and Mumbai with strict Covid rules

The source clarified that even though Maharastra and Mumbai have been in grip of Covid cases. But, the state government has allowed for sporting events if few rules were followed strictly.

Normally the IPL is staged in home and away format. But, the surge of Covid cases in India around 179k fresh Covid cases om Sunday. It has forced the BCCI to prune the number of centers from 10 to 4. In this pandemic situation, BCCI has to postpone all the domestic tournaments on January 5 including the Ranji trophy.

"As of now, the plan is to stage the IPL in India. If, however, the Maharashtra option too is ruled out in the future, then the BCCI might be forced to take the IPL to the UAE again," revealed a source.

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Restricting the whole league to just three stadiums in Mumbai and one venue in nearby Pune will help BCCI eliminate the air travel during the tournament. Meanwhile, air travel causes one of the major reasons for Covid cases in the bio bubble last year.