The title sponsorship of the Indian Premier League (IPL) — which will be held in the UAE this year — will continue to be with smartphone brand Vivo despite the recent backlash against Chinese companies.
The cricketing tournament will begin on September 19 and the finals will be played on November 10.
These decisions were taken by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at its IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting on Sunday.
Matches from 7.30 pm
Evening matches will start at 7:30 pm; in the earlier editions, it used to be 8 pm. Each team can carry only 24 members.
The government has given its go-ahead to hold the tournament in the UAE this year. Franchisees have been told to prepare for the visa process.
Forced out of India due to the rising Covid pandemic situation, the IPL will allow unlimited replacements considering the delicate health situation across the globe.
“We expect the Home and External Affairs Ministries to give us necessary approvals within another week. The final will be played on November 10 as it enters the Diwali week making it lucrative for the broadcasters,” an IPL Governing Council member said.
Women’s premier league
Separately, the BCCI has decided to host the women's premier league, called the T20 Challenge, in the UAE from November 1-10.
This has drawn criticism from some of the Australian women cricketers as it clashes with the Women’s Big Bash League, scheduled for October 17 to November 29.