IPL 2019 schedule: BCCI explains delay, final to be held in Chennai

A senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official has finally laid rest to rumours related to the schedule of the 2019 edition of IPL with the final set to take place at the home of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

Speaking to Hindustan Times, a senior official explained the delay in schedule saying that it wouldn't be possible for the BCCI to release the schedule before the dates for the general elections are out. The IPL matches will need to be planned in accordance to election dates as various states go to polls in different phases.

In 2009, the lucrative competition was shifted to South Africa due to it being an election year in India. Again during the 2014 elections, a few league stage matches were conducted in the UAE. However, the official confirmed that this will not be the case with the BCCI obtaining the go ahead to host all IPL 2019 matches in India.

Speaking about the delay in schedule he explained, “The schedule will take some time as we need to wait for the general election dates to be released by the election commission. Since this is the most important event in the calendar year, one has to ensure that we work according to the dates and plan the games in a way that everything is in sync. We all know the kind of arrangement that goes behind hosting elections and that is the priority.”

The IPL 2019 is set to kick-off on March 23 and CSK, who were the winners of the previous edition, will host the final.

This will be the first time that the entire IPL season will be held in the country during the election year. It will also be the first IPL tournament to be held without a Chairman in place.