The IPL was postponed in early May after a number of players tested positive for Covid-19, with 31 matches of the season still to be played; the tournament will resume with the Chennai Super Kings playing the Mumbai Indians on September 19 in Dubai
Sunday 25 July 2021 16:20, UK
The remaining matches of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which was suspended in May due to Covid-19, will resume from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates, the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) confirmed on Sunday.
The IPL was postponed in early May after a number of players tested positive for Covid-19, with 31 matches of the season still to be played.
Tournament organisers had confirmed in May that the IPL would be completed in the UAE, but an exact date had not been provided until now.
The first game of the resumption will see the Chennai Super Kings play the Mumbai Indians on September 19 in Dubai, before the Kolkata Knight Riders face Royal Challengers Bangalore in Abu Dhabi the following day.
Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Bangalore face Chennai.
The first qualifier is scheduled for October 10 in Dubai, while the eliminator (October 11) and second qualifier (October 13) will be played in Sharjah.
Dubai will also host the final, which is due to be played on October 15.
The new schedule has been arranged to allow England's summer Test series with India to go ahead as scheduled.
The five-Test series is scheduled to finish on September 14 with any players involved at Old Trafford expected to fly directly from the UK to a new biosphere bubble in the UAE.
However, the new dates leave just one week between the end of the IPL and the start of the T20 World Cup and will also cause a clash with the Caribbean Premier League.
England have 11 players involved in the IPL, headed up by limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan, along with Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Dawid Malan, Chris Jordan, Sam Billings, Jason Roy as well as Tom and Sam Curran.
