The Assembly elections in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have forced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to press pause on announcing the schedule for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).
Board secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed to Sports stars that the fixtures will be released “as soon as possible”, once there is clarity on the polling dates and phases. For now, franchises and stakeholders are left juggling uncertainty, with logistical planning – from travel to security arrangements – hanging in the balance.
While the delay has disrupted timelines, franchises have begun internal groundwork, drawing on lessons from previous election years. Camps have commenced in phases, and operational blueprints are being readied. “Time is a constraint, but such things are beyond anyone’s control,” a senior franchise official said, adding that once the schedule, expected to be rolled out in two phases, is made public, preparations will shift to a “war-footing” ahead of the tournament’s proposed start on March 28.
This year, the Board has also had to navigate venue-related hurdles. Only on Tuesday was Royal Challengers Bengaluru cleared to host five home games in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals received the green light last week to stage five matches in Jaipur after months of uncertainty over its home venue. These clearances, coupled with the pending election schedule, have contributed to the holdup.
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The IPL, however, is no stranger to such challenges.
In 2024, with India heading into general elections, the BCCI initially unveiled fixtures for only the first two weeks. The remainder of the schedule was calibrated once polling dates were finalised, ensuring no overlap and maintaining competitive balance. Despite speculation about shifting the latter half of the tournament overseas, the Board successfully staged the entire edition within the country, a feat it had similarly achieved in 2019.
“Even in 2019, the IPL was played in a home-away format in its entirety despite the general elections. In 2024, too, once we had clarity on polling phases, we ensured uniformity so that no team had any undue advantage,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal told Sports starsunderlining the emphasis on parity.
The 2019 edition ran from March 23 to May 12, overlapping with the seven-phase general elections held from April 11 to May 19. The balancing act was delicate but effective.
The most dramatic reshuffle came in 2014. With polling scheduled in nine phases, the IPL was split into two legs. The first 20 matches were played across three venues in the United Arab Emirates from April 16 to April 30 before the tournament returned to India on May 2, concluding on June 1, still alongside the elections.
Earlier still, in 2009, the league was moved entirely to South Africa, marking the only time the tournament was staged overseas due to a general election. Over the years, though, the current BCCI administration has managed to keep the tournament in the country.
Published on Mar 03, 2026
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