What Lies Ahead for the IPL in 2021?

This year in cricket has been like no other and one of the many competitions to see huge change has been the IPL. The good news for fans of the league in India is that they have been able to play this season, which is more than many other competitions can say.

However, things have been very different. First of all, not a single ball has been bowled in India, the games have all taken place in the UAE where it was considered much safer to set up a biosecure bubble for the players to enter. The games have been good and a quick look at the 2020 IPL stats will show some impressive numbers for the standout players.

No fans have been allowed to attend any of the games, and the schedule has been slightly shortened, which has resulted in some great double headers for fans watching at home.

However, next year, more is expected, but what exactly lies ahead for the IPL in 2021?

The next couple of months, maybe longer, are going to be a complete mystery for many countries in the world, India included. Technically, if the IPL returns to its usual place in the calendar, just six months are between the end of the 2020 edition and the beginning of the 2021 edition.

That means at the earliest, four months to plan when we get past the two months of uncertainty we have on the horizon, though of course that uncertainty could go on for much longer.

Although one year without fans was fine, another year would be damaging for the league, so if there looks to be any chance of no fans attending on the regular dates, expect the league to be pushed back again to try and make some money.

TV deals and sponsors have covered the finances this season, but those sponsorship deals have been much lower, and without fans there is no room for the league to grow and gain more income.

The future is unpredictable, but the best guess right now would be an IPL taking place later in the year, anywhere between August and November depending on how it fits with other league and international fixtures around the world. This would give time for fans to be allowed back in stadiums and vital planning time to try and maximise ticket sales.

There will be many eyes on this, the IPL is the biggest sporting league in India and the biggest T20 cricket league in the world. Many support teams and watch every ball, others watch from a betting point of view, with the league offering high quality action. This guide to online gambling is perfect for Indians who are looking to wager cash across a range of gambling areas.

From a league point of view, it makes a lot of sense to delay the competitions next season if that shows there is a stronger chance of fans being allowed to watch. However, until that decision is made, teams will have to plan as though the tournament is taking place in just six months from now, putting pressure on them to get a competitive squad together.