Thursday 16 April 2020 13:18, UK
The 2020 IPL has been postponed indefinitely following the COVID-19 pandemic, key franchise officials told Reuters on Wednesday.
The eight-team league, which was originally scheduled to begin on March 29, was initially deferred until Wednesday before India announced a three-week lockdown last month.
After the lockdown was extended on Tuesday until at least May 3, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials held a teleconference before informing the franchises about a further delay.
"Well, all we know is that it has been shifted indefinitely and BCCI are working on a window in the future," Delhi Capitals chief executive Dheeraj Malhotra told Reuters.
BCCI has yet to make an official announcement but the CEO of another franchise confirmed the decision.
"We have been informed about it being postponed indefinitely, but we're still waiting for an email from the board with details," the official said, requesting anonymity.
IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel did not take calls or reply to a Reuters message to comment on the possible dates of the tournament.
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had earlier acknowledged the difficulty in hosting the tournament amid lockdown and the travel restrictions forced by the global health crisis.
"At the present moment, we can't say anything," the former India captain told New India Express newspaper at the weekend.
"Airports are shut, people are stuck at home, offices are locked down, nobody can go anywhere. And it seems this is how it's going to be till the middle of May.
"Where will you get players from, where do players travel. Its just simple common sense that at the moment, nothing is in favour of any kind of sport anywhere in the world, forget IPL."
Local media speculated on a possible window in September-October, before this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
