Cricketing calendars have had to be tweaked on a number of occasions since the Covid-19 outbreak happened last year. While international cricket looked to have found its rhythm back, the South Africa tour of India this year has reportedly now been postponed due to its clash with the Indian Premier League (IPL) Season 14 Phase-2.
South Africa were supposed to arrive in India for a bilateral series in September right before the T20 World Cup. The two teams were scheduled to play 3 ODIs and as many T20Is before the showpiece event. With the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) planning to organise the remainder of IPL 2021 in September-October, the South Africa series had to be sacrificed.
“The series can’t be held and in any case there can’t be any better preparation for the T20 World Cup than playing a high-intensity tournament like IPL. Since the T20 World Cup will start within a week or 10 days after completion of the IPL, the SA series can only be held at a later date.
“There is a chance that India might play extra games when they tour South Africa early next year,” sources claimed.
The Indian team will wrap up its tour of England on September 14 and will resume IPL 2021 from September 19 or 20. Not long after the T20 league’s conclusion, the ICC T20 World Cup would kick-off in mid-October. Such a cramped schedule leaves the BCCI with no window for the South Africa series.
With the dates of the T20 World Cup yet to be finalised, there are talks that the Test series between India and New Zealand, scheduled to take place in November this year, could also be altered.
As far as the IPL 2021 is concerned, the tournament is likely to take place in UAE while the T20 World Cup could also be held in the Middle East.
