Just a few days before the knockout stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 is to begin, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a good news for the cricket fans. The board has finalised to change the timings of the playoff matches so that the crowd arriving at the venue can return home timely.
According to several media reports, the IPL governing council came up with the development keeping in mind the fans, who are as important to the cash-rich tournament as are the players. Rajeev Shukla, the chairman of the IPL, believes that the matches ending late in the night might disturb the daily routine of numerous office-goers and the students, hence the council came up with this crucial decision. He said,
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“The IPL is what it is because of its fans. The tournament has been followed avidly over the years both at the stadium and on television at homes. So, keeping their interest in mind, it was decided that the playoff games and the final will start an hour earlier. So, instead of the 8 PM start, the games will start at 7 PM.”
Speaking further on the inconvenience faced by the viewers, Shukla said,
“Not only for those at the stadium, but it also gets difficult for those watching on television. Since the students and office-goers also need to get back to their respective stuff next morning, it helps if the game starts an hour earlier.”
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The playoff will kickstart on May 22 while the final is scheduled to be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on May 27. As of now, all the teams have played 10 games each while Sunrisers Hyderabad, Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders are currently the top 4 teams to enter the playoffs.
