CPL can't fight potential IPL clash but hopes BCCI figures out its own window

 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) CEO Pete Russell expects the T20 league to take place as scheduled in September and hopes the BCCI figures out “its own window” for the IPL which has been indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There is a possibility that the BCCI organises the IPL in September or October and that might require rescheduling the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.

The CPL is scheduled to run from August 19 to September 26 and can clash with the IPL.

“We wouldn’t go up against it. While I know the BCCI is all-powerful in these things, there has to be some sensible consideration around what players and other leagues are doing,” Russell told ESPNcricinfo.

“I think IPL would want all the West Indian players to be playing in their tournament – it wouldn’t make sense for them to play at the same time as CPL when a lot of their stars are playing with us. That would defeat the objective. I don’t think they need to do that, either. They can figure out their own window, for sure.”

The COVID-19 cases in the Caribbean have not been as alarming as in the US and Europe with the death toll yet to reach double figures in the six countries that host the CPL.

“It’s good that the Caribbean has locked down early, and it hasn’t been hit in the same way as the UK, for example. We’re looking at different permutations in terms of what could or couldn’t happen, but the lucky thing is that we’ve got a bit of time – we don’t have to force a decision,” Russell said.

“I don’t think there’s any question that we’ll be able to play it. We’re only going to play if it’s safe to do so, but we’ve been approached by a lot of the countries who want it to happen. The reason (for that) is that it’s a big sporting event, and it could act as a sign or a marker that the Caribbean is open for business again,” he said.