'IPL 2023 will go back to home and away format' - BCCI President Sourav Ganguly

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 will be back to its original home-and-away format, the ones that were the regular tradition during the pre-COVID times. The reigning Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly confirmed the same to the affiliated state cricket associations. The IPL has been held only at limited venues for the last three seasons following the COVID outbreak in 2020. Also, the lucrative league has been held behind closed doors across three venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) -- Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. In 2021, the competition was also held in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai venues.

However, with the pandemic under control now, the cash-rich league will be back to its old format, with each team playing a home and an away game. "The next season of men's IPL will also go back to the home and away format with all ten teams playing their home matches at their designated venues," read a note from Ganguly to the state associations.

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The note also provided a "snapshot" of the ongoing domestic season. The BCCI is running a full-fledged domestic season for the first time since 2020, and all multi-day tournaments have also returned to the traditional home and away format.

Women's IPL could start early next year
The BCCI is also working on hosting the inaugural edition of the highly-anticipated Women's IPL early next year. Last month, PTI reported that the tournament would likely occur in March after the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa. "The BCCI is currently working on the much-awaited Women's IPL. We expect to start the first season early next year," Ganguly wrote in the September 20-dated letter.

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The Women's IPL is envisioned to expand the standard of women's cricket in the country. Besides the Women's IPL, the BCCI will launch a girls' Under-15 One-Day tournament. "We are glad to introduce a Girls U-15 One-Day tournament from this season. Women's cricket has seen phenomenal growth worldwide, and our national team has performed well. This new tournament will create a pathway for our young girls to play nationally and internationally," Ganguly registered.

The inaugural women's Under-15 event will be played between December 26 and January 12 across five venues -- Bangalore, Ranchi, Rajkot, Indore, Raipur and Pune.

(With inputs from PTI)