NEW DELHI: Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 is expected to be conducted in India, despite the upcoming general elections, according to a source from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (
BCCI
).
The highly anticipated cricket tournament is set to commence on March 22, around the same time as the announcement of election dates. However, a reliable BCCI source has confirmed that the IPL will indeed be held in India.
"There are no plans to shift the tournament outside the country, considering the general elections will also take place during that time.
If any state has valid reasons for not hosting matches at that time, the matches may be moved to another venue," a BCCI source told ANI.
Teams have already finalized their squads after the IPL 2024 auction, which took place in Dubai last month. The auction witnessed two instances where the record for the most expensive player was broken. Australian cricketer
Mitchell Starc
became the highest-paid player in the history of the IPL, as he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore.
In addition, the IPL 2024 auction witnessed a 57% increase in viewership compared to the previous auction.
Jay Shah
, the secretary of the BCCI, announced that the IPL auction garnered a total of 22.8 million viewers, surpassing the viewership of the 2022 auction.
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings, led by the iconic MS Dhoni, are preparing to retain their title.
CEO of Chennai Super Kings,
Kasi Viswanathan
, expressed optimism about Dhoni's return, stating, "He has recovered well from his knee injury. He is currently undergoing rehabilitation programs and has started training. By the time the next IPL begins, I am confident he will be fit to play."
The Indian Premier League continues to generate excitement among cricket fans, and it is expected to be a thrilling season with top-notch players and intense competition.
(With inputs from ANI)
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