Indian Premier League 2019 may be moved to UAE. Here’s why

Cricket bonanza Indian Premier League may get shifted to UAE next year due to the 2019 General Elections in India.

This is not the first time that IPL will be shifted out of India due to the General Elections. In the year 2009, IPL was held in South Africa.

The 12^th edition of Indian Premier League will be held from March 29 to May 19 next year.

A BCCI official said, “Due to the Lok Sabha polls, a segment of the IPL next year could take place in the UAE. South Africa is ruled out because of the time difference – three-and-a-half hours compared to the UAE’s one-and-a-half hours. It’s a little early though, and everything will depend on the election dates’’.

UAE has hosted the beginning of 2014 edition of the Indian Premier League and is likely to get preference over South Africa.

The BCCI official added, “We will take a call when the situation arises. UAE’s time zone suits the Indian audience’’.

The UAE’s Time zone is one-and-half hours and South Africa’s Time zone is three-and-half-hours behind than the IST, which is why UAE’s time slot will be more suitable to the Indian viewers.