The BCCI has postponed its October 15 meeting with IPL franchise owners, broadcasters and host state associations in Mumbai because board officials must attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s felicitation of India’s men’s and women’s teams for their Asian Games gold-medal performances in New Delhi. No new date has been set.
Mumbai, India: The email from board secretary Devajit Saikia reached stakeholders on Tuesday evening, and its message was short: Thursday’s joint meeting is off for now. The session was due to start at 6 pm at the Taj Santacruz, bringing franchise owners, team chief executives, broadcasters and representatives of 13 host state associations together as the league prepares for its 20th season in 2027.
A clash of calendars
The reason is a date clash. Modi is scheduled to felicitate India’s men’s and women’s teams in New Delhi on October 15 for their gold-medal performances at the Asian Games, and BCCI officials are expected to be there. The board also said several stakeholders had asked for a postponement, and that it wanted as many people as possible to attend in person. Saikia expressed regret over the inconvenience.
The BCCI has not named a revised date or venue. It said only that both would be communicated in due course, with no timeline attached.
A knock-on effect for the men’s team
The ceremony also reshapes the travel plans of India’s men. After their 14-run win in Indore put them 2-1 up in the five-match T20I series against West Indies, the fourth game is in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Instead of flying straight from there to Bengaluru for the fifth and final T20I on October 17, they will first travel to New Delhi for the ceremony. It follows a Games in which India’s men’s cricketers beat Pakistan to retain the gold medal earlier this month.
What the delay leaves open
The agenda for the Mumbai meeting has not been made public, and reports say only that it concerned preparations for the 2027 season. Some of the groundwork is already in motion: Delhi Capitals have named Sourav Ganguly head coach for the new campaign, one of the franchise-level changes that will shape it.
Until the board announces a new slot, the franchises, broadcasters and state associations that were due in Mumbai on Thursday have no date to plan around.
