Sports Desk, AnyTV, New Delhi
Published by: Rohit Raj
Updated Thu, 24 Feb 2022 10:44 PM IST
Summary
Mumbai Indians, the five-time champion team, will not get the benefit of the home ground this time despite the IPL being in India. Mumbai team will not play any home match at their home ground Wankhede Stadium.
Wankhede Stadium
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Mumbai Indians, the five-time champion team, will not get the benefit of the home ground this time despite the IPL being in India. Mumbai team will not play any home match at their home ground Wankhede Stadium. The BCCI and the IPL Governing Council have decided on Thursday (February 24) that Mumbai will play its home matches in Pune.
55 matches will be hosted at three venues in Mumbai. Rohit Sharma’s team’s matches will be held in Pune to prevent Mumbai from unfair home advantage. There were reports that some franchises had objected to Mumbai Indians playing in Mumbai. But a senior BCCI official said that the board has not officially received any objection. Instead the decision to play the team in Pune has been taken purely under no pressure.
A senior BCCI official told InsideSport, “Mumbai Indians will play in Pune and not Mumbai. We want to give equal ground to all. I am not aware of any franchises opposing the playing of Rohit Sharma’s team in Mumbai. It was just media reports. If we get any complaint or official objection, we will consider it.”
Wankhede Stadium is the home ground of Mumbai Indians. There his fans arrive in large numbers to turn the stadium into a blue ocean. If Rohit’s team plays there, he will benefit. If the matches were played in an empty stadium, the franchises would not protest. Since there would be about 40 percent spectators in the match, then it would have benefited Mumbai. The board wants to give equal opportunities to all the teams.
A franchise source had told Times of India, “No team is getting home matches. It would be unfair if Mumbai plays a lot of their matches at Wankhede. The franchise will have no problem if Mumbai plays at its DY Patil Stadium and Pune. Even Brabourne Stadium is fine. Hopefully BCCI will look into the matter.”
The IPL Governing Council of BCCI on Thursday (February 24) decided that the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League will start from March 26. In this 70 matches will be played in Maharashtra. The Indian board has not taken a final decision regarding the playoffs and finals. The BCCI is still keen to organize a playoff match in Ahmedabad, but a decision on this will be taken in view of the corona infection.