Reports: BCCI likely to shift IPL mega auction out of Bengaluru due to Covid-19 situation
Sourav Ganguly (Photo by PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images)
Amidst all the hype for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, the BCCI have to now face a new hurdle. While the mega auction for the fifteenth edition of the league was supposed to take place in Bengaluru, the number of COVID-19 cases has put a serious question mark on the city hosting it.
Besides, the city imposing new restrictions hasn’t helped the board’s cause either. Thus, the Karnataka-based city might not host the upcoming mega auction. While the BCCI had planned to conduct the auction in the second week of February, the hotels are yet to be booked.
According to a report by InsideSport, the restrictions in Bengaluru have forced the board to halt its preparations. This report further states that restrictions are expected to include a cap on gatherings preventing BCCI to host the auctions. A BCCI official went on to say that shifting the venue wouldn’t be a hassle either.
Some things are out of our hands: BCCI official
“Some things are out of our hands and we must wait. Bookings and stuff will not be an issue if we have an idea about the restrictions. We are closely monitoring the situation and are in talks with the state associations. If we need to move the venue, it can be done on short notice,” said a senior BCCI official.
It is to be noted that the BCCI had initially kept Kolkata, Mumbai and Kochi on standby due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. However, all these cities are facing a surge in cases as well. As a matter of fact, Mumbai and Kochi have imposed new restrictions as well.
It was initially reported that the IPL 2022 mega auction was all set to take place in the second week of February. However, taking the current scenario into consideration, there is a huge chance of it getting delayed.
