As Board of Control for Cricket in India members led by vice-president Rajeev Shukla chalk out plans for hosting the Indian Premier League in the United Arab Emirates, concerns are looming over the availability of the foreign players in the September-October window.
With several nations playing their fixtures in preparation for the World T20 scheduled to be hosted later in October, boards such as the ECB have said head-on that they are not interested in sending their national stars for the remainder of the 14th edition of the cash-rich league.
Sources in the know have told news agency ANI that the BCCI will take the decision about the foreign players around July after discussions with the foreign boards. Subsequently, the franchises will be intimated if the overseas players will be available to the respective teams or will they need to call in reinforcements during the second leg of the league.
“Once the foreign boards come back on the matter of player availability, the BCCI will discuss the matter with the franchises and make them aware of the scenario. In case some foreign players aren't available for the tournament, the franchise will be allowed to rope in replacement in the same manner in which injury replacements are picked under normal circumstances,” the source told ANI.
Earlier on Monday, 31 May, Rajeev Shukla had said that BCCI's primary goal was to complete the remainder of the IPL season.
"Our main focus is on completing this edition of the IPL. It should not be left halfway through. So whichever foreign players are available is fine. Whoever is not available, it is not going to stop us from hosting the tournament,” Shukla said.
Meanwhile, sources from the UAE board have stated that having crowds in the hosting stadiums would not be a problem and vaccinated persons will be allowed into the stadiums in 50 per cent capacity.
It has also been intimated that the UAE board are more than eager to host the Indian Premier League in the three stadiums of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai, just like it did last year.