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XtraTime Web Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finds themselves entangled in fresh trouble as an advocate has filed a plea in Bombay High Court challenging the board’s decision to hold the upcoming 13th edition of the cash rich league to UAE starting from next month.
The petition, filed by Pune-based advocate Abhishek Lagoo, said if the IPL is held outside India it would cause huge economic and revenue loss to the country. Lagoo, who in his plea claimed to be an ardent cricket fan, said the IPL is the most popular T20 cricket league and its brand value in 2019 was Rs 475 billion and is the main revenue earner for the BCCI.

The petition is expected to heard by a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Revati Mohite Dere on August 18.

The 13th edition of IPL had to be shifted to UAE because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The cash rich league was scheduled to begin in March but since the coronavirus cases are still not under control in the country, the BCCI had to stage the IPL in UAE from September 19 to November 10. The IPL 2020 matches will be staged in three venues viz., Dubai International Stadium, Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Stadium.

According to the plea submitted in the Bombay High Court, it stated that IPL is not a charity event. If the IPL is played outside India, there will be huge revenue loss for the Government of India in terms of logistics, tourists, advertisers and so on.

The IPL has, over the years, become a major economic activity in India and boosts various sectors, generates employment, increases business volume, the petition said.

Hence, it would not be harmful if the IPL matches are conducted in India with proper precautions and safety measures, the petition said.