India first priority, hope we don't have an IPL-less 2020: BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly
New Delhi: Hosting the IPL in India remains BCCI president Sourav Ganguly's "first priority" and he is hoping that the cricket world will not have to endure 2020 sans the glitzy event, despite his concerns around the rising COVID-19 cases.
The hugely-popular T20 league, which was scheduled to start on March 29, stands suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the former India captain said it is important for cricket to return to normalcy, any decision on the IPL can be taken only after the ICC decides on the fate of the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in Australia in October-November.
"We don't want the year 2020 to finish without an IPL. Our first priority is India and even if we get 35 to 40 days, we will host it. But we don't know where...," Ganguly said on India Today show 'Inspiration'.
New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the UAE have offered to host the event in case there are logistical issues in India with the rapid rise in coronavirus cases. Organising the league overseas is an option but that would result in increased costs.
"I will put it in this order. Firstly, whether we can (have an IPL) within the time frame as IPL has a limited window. "Secondly India. If it's not possible then we are thinking of going out (abroad). But going out where because if you go out it becomes expensive for everyone -- franchises and board.
"Because of conversion rate and currency exchange rate it becomes expensive. So we are monitoring but as I said we are very keen to host it and got our fingers crossed."
The delay in taking a final call on the fate of the T20 World Cup is also keeping the BCCI bosses and other IPL stakeholders waiting.
"We don't know yet as we don't have a decision from ICC regarding the T20 World Cup. We keep hearing different things from the media but unless it is officially told to Board members, you don't know what's happening," he said.
Ganguly is aware of the grim situation in Indian cities with IPL franchises.
"If it doesn't happen in India because of COVID then places like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai, these have big teams in IPL but at this point, you can't put hand to your heart and say cricket will happen in these places.
"Ahmedabad we were keen to go there. It's an amazing stadium. I don't know whether we can go there or not. It's not easy at the moment to say we are going to host it in India."
Only once in the 12-year history of the IPL has the entire tournament been shifted out of India.
In 2009, it was held in South Africa as the dates clashed with the general elections in the country.
"See it's been very tough for everyone of us and I look at everyone as a whole. Being in lockdown from March, April and May and then everything opened up. But everything opened up with a scare.
"Anyway, if you look at numbers, it's more than it was during lockdown. It's spreading very quickly. It's scary but I have never experienced any such thing ever in my life."
The BCCI boss, though, also hoped that the sport is back at the earliest.
"See I want to have it as I said that cricket needs to be back. For us this is actually off season which has actually helped. We finished our season in March just after which IPL was about to start.
"And we had to cancel IPL which is the most important part of our domestic season. We want IPL to happen. Because life needs to be back to normal. Cricket needs to be back to normal."
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Putin meets Iran's FM Araghchi, says Russia ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia
Moscow (PTI): Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday met Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed the Iranian people for fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty and said Moscow is ready to do its best to help bring peace to West Asia as soon as possible.
Araghchi, who held talks with Omani and Pakistani leadership before arriving in Russia, met Putin in St. Petersburg and thanked him for supporting Iran, state-owned TASS news agency reported.
"Russia is ready to do everything in its power to ensure that peace in the Middle East is achieved as soon as possible," Putin said during his meeting with Araghchi, which was also attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Revealing that he received a message from Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei last week, Putin asked Araghchi to convey his "gratitude for this message and best wishes for his health and well-being."
He praised the Iranian people for fighting "bravely and heroically" for their sovereignty, Iran's state-run PRESS TV reported.
"We really hope that, based on the courage and desire for independence, the Iranian people, under the guidance of the new leader, will weather this difficult period of trials and peace will come,” Putin said.
He also stressed that Russia “intends to maintain” its strategic relations with Iran.
Araghchi said that the world witnessed Iran’s strength in countering the US during the recent war, and that the Islamic Republic is a "stable and powerful establishment."
"With their courage, the Iranian people succeeded in resisting the US aggression and will be able to endure it,” he said.
He said that it became clear that Iran has “great friends and allies” like Russia, and conveyed “warmest greetings” from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian to the Russian leader.
Araghchi said relations between Moscow and Tehran represent a “strategic partnership at the highest level” and will continue to develop "regardless of circumstances."
"We are grateful to you for the solid and strong positions in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran," he said.
Foreign Minister Lavrov said that the talks between President Putin and the Iranian Foreign Minister were "useful and constructive."
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov later said that Russia is "ready to provide any good offices, any mediation services that are acceptable to the parties."
"We will be ready to do everything so that ultimately peace ensues, guaranteed peace, and that there is no return to hostilities," Peskov was quoted as saying by TASS.
He was asked how Moscow can assist in future negotiations on the Iranian settlement.
Araghchi arrived in Russia after his whirlwind trip to Islamabad, which, according to him, was “very productive” and involved “good consultations" with Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, amid uncertainty over the second round of peace talks to resolve the war in West Asia.
"We held good consultations with our friends in Pakistan. The trip was successful. We assessed the outcome of our recent (meetings) and discussed in what direction and under what conditions talks can move on,” Araghchi said in a video posted on his Telegram channel upon his arrival in St Petersburg.
Referring to the second round of talks between the US and Iran to resolve the conflict in West Asia, Araghchi said: "Developments have taken place in the negotiations."
"Despite some progress in earlier rounds, the talks failed to reach their objectives due to the Americans' approach, the excessive demands they made, and the wrong approaches they adopted. Therefore, it was necessary to consult with our friends in Pakistan to review the latest situation,” Iran's official news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.
He said that the trip to Pakistan was a good opportunity to review developments related to the US-Israeli war against Iran, expressing confidence that “these consultations and coordination between the two countries will be highly significant.”
Araghchi arrived at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo Airport early Monday, where he was welcomed by Russian officials and Iran’s ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, the report said.
The first round of peace talks between Iran and the US, held on April 11 and 12, failed to bring the desired result for the parties to the conflict.
The Iranian minister arrived in Islamabad for the second time on Sunday after a short visit to Oman, where he held talks with Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said on security in the Strait of Hormuz and diplomatic efforts to end the Iran-US conflict.
After Araghchi left Pakistan for Oman on Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would no longer be going to Islamabad for talks with Iran, contending that Washington held all the cards on the matter.
Trump on Sunday reiterated that the US and Iranian officials can talk by phone for a peace solution to the conflict.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The war began when the US and Israel jointly attacked Iran on February 28, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several top commanders. The retaliation by the Islamic Republic extended the war to the entire Gulf region.
