Start date confirmed for 2020 Indian Premier League

Tournament will be held in the UAE

IPL Final 2011 RCB vs CSK

The 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to run from September 19 until November 8 or 10.

The dates have been confirmed by IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel.

Reports suggest the date of the IPL final will be either November 8 or 10, but an official call on that is expected soon.

It was initially thought the tournament would start on September 26. However, the BCCI has decided to get underway a week earlier to ensure the India team has time to prepare for their tour of Australia at the end of the year.

Virat Kohli's men are scheduled to contest a four-match Test series Down Under from December 3 but have to factor in a 14-day quarantine period before action can start.

News of the September 19 start date for the IPL follows the announcement that this year’s edition would be held in the United Arab Emirates.

It had been due to take place in the usual window in March this year but was postponed due to the coronavirus disruption. It can now run in September and November following the postponement of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

The T20 World Cup was due to take place from mid-October to mid-November but has been pushed back 12 months because of the global pandemic.

IPL heading back to the UAE

That handed a window of opportunity to the IPL to finally stage this year's edition. It was confirmed this week that the UAE is the destination.

“The UAE government offered us to host the IPL in their country and we are very much aware of the facilities and situation there,” said Patel.

“We were waiting for the International Cricket Council to officially announce the postponement of the T20 World Cup. We have applied for permission with the Indian government and should get it.

“Whether the 2020 IPL will be played without spectators as a preventative measure against the spread of the virus depends on the UAE government,” he added.

This is not the first time the IPL has been played outside India. Part of the 2014 contest was held in the UAE and the 2009 tournament took place in South Africa.

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Chris is passionate about all forms of cricket and loves writing about the sport. He has a background in both sport and news journalism and has written cricket and other sports content for several years now. Chris has written about all levels of the game from regional club cricket in England to the international stage. He now brings that experience to the iGaming industry where he combines it with his love of betting. Chris loves to bet on many different sports, but particularly enjoys seeking out the best value bets on offer and passing that on through his coverage.