IPL 2020 to Be Held from September 19 to November 10 in UAE

The Indian Premier League confirmed on Sunday that the much-delayed 2020 tournament will eventually begin in the United Arab Emirates in September due to an increasing coronavirus pandemic in India.

It will be the third time that the richest cricket competition in the world has been held outside its home country, reports AFP.

The tournament will begin on September 19 and the final will be on November 10, said Jay Shah, Secretary of the Indian Cricket Control Board, in a statement following a video meeting of the IPL Board of Directors.

"Taking note of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in India, the IPL governing council decided to stage the tournament in the United Arab Emirates and the matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi subject to necessary clearances from the government of India," said Shah.

Ten of the matches will be held in the afternoon while the rest will all be in the evening.

The statement said that the governing board debated the safety protocols for the eight participants, but did not mention that the players will have to endure quarantine in the UAE prior to the start of the tournament.

The UAE currently requires tourists to be in isolation for 14 days.

The tournament normally starts in late March or April but was repeatedly postponed because of pandemic.

India currently has 1.75 million coronavirus cases, the world's third-highest.

The IPL was previously held outside of India in 2009 when it was played in South Africa, and 2014 in the UAE because it clashed with national elections.