BCCI pondering over IPL 2019 match timings: A final confirmation regarding the match timings of IPL 2019 is still to be made.
There is no hiding to the fact that Indian Premier League matches usually begin at 8 PM. The blend of slow over rates and quintessential T20 finishes has often witnessed the matches getting extended till midnight or even beyond that.
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For a tournament which operates during week days as well, the same had started to give signs of reduction in the number of viewers. In a bid to generate more eyeballs and make the fans’ watching experience better, the playoffs of the last season of the Indian Premier League were scheduled to commence at 7 PM.
As far as IPL 2019 is concerned, there hadn’t been any voice raised regarding the same until IPL CEO Hemang Amin was asked about it at the press conference to announce Tata Motors’ Harrier as the IPL’s official partner.
“7 PM matches affect afternoon games”
Amin highlighted the afternoon matches getting affected if the evening matches are advanced by an any time. Having said that, he didn’t wholly rule out the possibility of the matches beginning at 7 PM.
“Last year we had advanced the timings for the play-offs to start at 7pm. We are still considering whether to advance it a bit or keep it at 8pm because it also affects the afternoon game. For the last so many years we have been playing 12 to 15 afternoon games so it impacts that,” Amin was quoted as saying.
Since the cash-rich league is played during peak summers in the country, one cannot expect the players to play the evening match during afternoons. Given the already packed scheduling of the tournament, it would be unjust for the players to put them under such daunting conditions.
Expressing concerns regarding players’ well-being, Amin further said that a final call on the same will be taken after the balanced schedule is ready.
“The players’ well-being will have to be considered if we are advancing it because if we advance the 8pm game to earlier then we have to advance the afternoon game as well. Hopefully, within a week or so we will announce the timings once we get the balanced schedule ready,” Amin conclude.
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