New Delhi: Rajeev Shukla, former Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman, on Thursday insisted that the United Arab Emirates is the best place for staging the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League.
"UAE gives good response and also broadcast timing fits for India as per time difference. UAE is the best place for IPL," Shukla told a news agency.
When asked whether the event will be successful, he said, "there is no doubt about it. BCCI's commitment with all cricket fans of conducting IPL every year, this will also be fulfilled."
This year's IPL is scheduled to be played from September 19 - November 10 in the UAE. The decision regarding the tournament was made in the IPL's Governing Council (GC) meeting on Sunday.
The 13th edition of the T20 tournament will be staged at three venues (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah) in the UAE.
Earlier in the day, an IPL media advisory confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Vivo Mobile India Pvt Ltd have decided to suspend their partnership for IPL in 2020.
Reflecting on the same, Shukla said, "Vivo and BCCI have mutually decided to suspend Vivo's sponsorship for this season. It will impact revenue and that would be a problem but our prime focus is to start cricket, priority is to start cricket. 182 countries watch cricket. To start cricket this has been done."
After tensions flared up at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between Indian and Chinese troops last month, there were calls for boycotting Chinese products in the country.
Shukla further added, "Keeping in the mind the current atmosphere, current environment, current perception this decision has been taken which is fully correct and we endorse that."
