State elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam and preparations for the venues to be used for the ongoing T20 World Cup are the reasons for the delay in announcing the Indian Premier League (IPL) schedules. The 2026 edition of the league will be played from March 26 to May 31.
A BCCI official said that the schedule could be released in two parts due to the tournament clashing with the state assembly election and counting dates, which could create potential security issues due to the involvement of local police in the elections. The official said the board is awaiting clarity from the authorities concerned before finalizing the venues and fixtures.
News18 quoted a BCCI official as saying, “If the dates of some matches clash with election or counting dates then it is a big task to rearrange the schedules of the three teams. Naturally, the state police will not be able to provide security for the matches and we will have to shift those games to a different venue. We are in touch with the authorities and awaiting clarity on the dates.”
“If it takes too much time to announce the dates, we can release the schedule in two parts. This is an option. We will take a decision on it soon,” the official said.
CSK, KKR games likely to be affected
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are likely to be affected due to the schedule clash. KKR is reportedly exploring alternative venues and is in talks with the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) to host some, if not all, of its games at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
Additionally, there is uncertainty over Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium amid administrative issues at the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA). Rajasthan Royals are looking for a new home venue, and are in discussions with the Maharashtra Cricket Association to host their home games at the MCA Stadium in Pune.
One of the other issues for the BCCI is to ensure that the venues currently hosting World Cup matches are properly prepared for the IPL. Five of the 10 IPL venues – Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad – are hosting the global event and will need time to prepare. The T20 World Cup will conclude on March 8.
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