IPL 2020: Teams discuss logistics for tournament to be held this year

Even though there is no clarity about IPL 2020 taking place, the franchises are discussing various options and scenarios if the tournament gets a go-ahead in the October-November window.

One of the foremost options being discussed is playing the matches behind closed doors, i.e. without any spectators. Talks have also been hovering around how to get those 100-odd foreign cricketers through charter flights and quarantine them for 14 days before they take to the field.

IPL 2020's foreign stars to be housed in separate hotels?

Sources say there are suggestions like housing the foreign cricketers in separate hotels to maintain social distancing. There would also have to be continuous testing of the ground staff involved in operations and maintenance, which would be logistically tricky.

Brining in foreign cricketers into the country will be the major task

"These are suggestions discussed and could be the way forward if IPL happens this autumn," a source told Sportskeeda on Wednesday.

For these suggestions to come to fruition, the foreign cricketers would first have to agree to be quarantined. But before that, the Indian government would have to grant permission and the coronavirus pandemic would have to slow down enough for sports events to even be held.

World cricket depends on India and IPL 2020

"The good thing is that we still have six months left and there is plenty of time for both BCCI and the Indian government to take a good look at it," a source said. The presence of Jay Shah as BCCI secretary could also help the board get an audience with the government at the earliest.

Earlier, Sportskeeda had reported how the T20 World Cup might not be held in Australia due to the coronavirus outbreak. It is also unlikely that the Indian cricketers would consider it safe to stay in Australia for three months between October and January, given that their tour Down Under is scheduled to start after the T20 extravaganza.

IPL will most likely be held in closed doors

That makes IPL 2020 extremely important to bringing back some order to the cricketing universe. The ICC and its member nations would be reluctant to re-start bilateral series unless a big event like the IPL gets the ball rolling.

"The whole of world cricket is going to be dependent on India after things somewhat normalise," the source added.