CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has written to the BCCI seeking permission to host the fifth edition of Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) from June 4 to July 4. Despite TNCA making efforts to slot the event soon after the IPL in December last year, the eight-team event was cancelled because of the pandemic.
Apart from Dindigul and Tirunelveli, which have hosted TNPL matches since its inaugural edition in 2016, Coimbatore and Salem have also been picked as venues for the upcoming season. The event will be played in a bio-secure environment. A decision on allowing crowds will be taken at a later stage keeping in mind the Covid situation in respective host cities.
“We have written to the BCCI and once we get the approval, we will set the ball rolling. We are looking to set up a similar bio-secure bubble that has been put in place by the BCCI in each of the four cities,” TNCA secretary RS Ramasaamy told Express.
Playing in a bio-bubble in four cities means, the TNCA is looking at a caravan type of tournament similar to the upcoming IPL where not more than two cities are hosting the event at a particular time. Starting the tournament soon after the IPL, which ends on May 30, means Tamil Nadu players can straightaway move into another bubble. But the chances of Ravichandran Ashwin, Washington Sundar taking part in the tournament is unlikely as they have to depart to England for the World Test Championship final where India is scheduled to face New Zealand.
Even though the TNCA has expressed interest to host the event, permission from BCCI is necessary not just because of safety standards. The BCCI’s anti-corruption unit had advised the board to not allow private ownership of the teams in state T20 leagues as it had become an easy target for bookies.