IPL 2021: Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals Object to BCCI’s Decision on League’s Venues

The recent reports that BCCI and IPL are considering to host the upcoming season in 3-4 venues, which reportedly also includes Ahmedabad, has not gone down well with at three teams – Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals. (More cricket news)

As per reports, the venues shortlisted, apart from Ahmedabad, include Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai, which would mean that the above mentioned three teams will be without their home base.  As per reports, Mumbai's option as one of the hosting venues is also being kept open despite city and the state of Maharashtra seeing a recent surge in COVID-19 cases.

This has forced these three teams, who will surely lose out on any home advantage, to raise objection with the IPL CEO Hemang Amin.

“We will be badly affected. The teams which are successful in the league are those who do well at home and then win a few away (games) and that takes you to playoffs. Here if this happens five teams will have the home advantage,” one of the team’s official told Cricbuzz.

If BCCI moves ahead with this plan five teams to have home advantage will be Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals.

BCCI is being forced to curtail the number of IPL venues so as to avoid travelling in the ongoing pandemic.

Meanwhile, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) working president KT Rama Rao has appealed to BCCI that Hyderabad is capable of hosting an IPL match.

“Open appeal to @BCCI and @IPL office bearers to include Hyderabad as one of the venues for upcoming IPL season. Our effective COVID containment measures are reflected in our low number of cases among all metro cities in India & we assure you of all support from the Govt,” Rao said in a tweet.

The tweet has also found support from Mohammed Azharuddin.

I strongly support the appeal by @ktrtrs. Hyderabad is absolutely capable of handling and conducting @IPL as per @BCCI’s directives and preparing a bio-secure bubble,” Azharuddin tweeted.

Earlier, there were reports that that Mumbai, with four stadiums -- Wankhede, Brabourne, DY Patil and Reliance Stadium, was being looked at as an ideal venue to create a single bio-secure bubble and hold the eight-week long tournament.

However,the COVID-19 situation in Maharashtra has worsened with a spike in COVID-19 cases forcing BCCI to make alternate plans.