The Indian Premier League looks set to be shifted to the end of September, with the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia looking increasingly likely to be postponed until next year.
IPL owners had previously warned that scrapping the tournament, which had been due to take place in April, would leave a £500million black hole.
But now the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are confident they can schedule the event for after the monsoon season, from September 25 to November 1, with the United Arab Emirates in place as as a back-up host should play on the sub-continent not be permitted.
BCCI chief executive Rahul Johri said: “Cricket activity in earnest can start practically only after the monsoon season. That is a window. Hopefully, things will improve and give us more variables which we can control and accordingly take the decision.”
A raft of England players have signed up to this year’s event on lucrative contracts, but Johri insisted no one would be forced to play.
“Safety is of paramount importance and every individual has the right to decide on their safety and one should respect that,” he said.
