IPL 2020: Three new venues likely

New Delhi : The move to add new teams to the Indian Premier League family might have to wait till the 2021 season, but there is likely to be new venues in place for the 2020 edition of the cash-rich league.

The eight franchise owners met the new BCCI office-bearers in Mumbai on Tuesday and the three cities that are in fray are Lucknow, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that while Kings XI Punjab are keen to make Lucknow their second home, Rajasthan Royals wants to shift from Ahmedabad to Guwahati.

While the home team of Thiruvananthapuram is yet to be decided, it is being said that it could move in as the third new venue thanks to the facilities on offer and the cricket crazy fans in the city.

"Rajasthan have requested for a change of their second home from Ahmedabad to Guwahati and while the GC is okay with the move, IMG will now conduct inspection at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium before giving the green signal," the official said.

"As for Lucknow, KXIP have been looking to move to the city since the last edition and had even sent in a request. But polls had played a major role in causing a delay in the shift.

But thanks to the great review of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium after the India-West Indies game, the venue is now almost certain to become Punjab's second home.

They earlier played their games at the I.S. Bindra Stadium in Mohali and also used the Holkar Stadium in Indore as their second home," the official said.