As coronavirus cases continue to rise in India, fear of the safety of the players and crew might force the Indian Premier League (IPL) to step outside of India for this coming season. New Zealand, UAE and Sri Lanka have offered to host the league in their country.

“Staging the event in India has to be the first choice but in case it is not safe to have it, then we will look at the overseas options. After UAE and Sri Lanka, New Zealand has also offered to host the IPL,” said a senior BCCI official.

“We will sit down with all stakeholders (broadcaster, teams, etc) and take a call. The safety of the players is paramount. There will be no compromise on that,” the official said.

As the final word from ICC on the postpone of the T20 World cup hangs in delay, BCCI is moving ahead in deciding its future events without any more waiting for ICC’s announcements on the world cup events.

The BCCI has already zeroed in on the end September-early November window for the IPL.

The IPL has been held overseas in the past. The entire 2009 edition was staged in South Africa due to the general election back home and partially in the UAE in 2014 due to the same reason.

The UAE again is the front-runner to host the tournament if it happens overseas. Sri Lanka is a cost-effective option while New Zealand, which has been largely free from COVID-19, faces feasibility issues.