The dates have been set, however, it still needs to be approved by the Indian government.

With the tournament being played over 53 days, it will be the longest edition of the hugely popular T20 tournament to date.

Each of the teams will feature a squad of 24 players, with unlimited Covid-19 substitutes.

The IPL normally gets stage in India during April, with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) postponed the event due to the rapidly increasing number of the Covid-19 infections on the subcontinent.

The matches to be played in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah will initially be played behind closed doors, before increasing the venues up to a 50% spectator capacity.

The final scheduled for 10 November will mean that the title decider will also be contested on a weekday for the first time since the inception of the IPL in 2008.

The reigning champions, the Mumbai Indians are the most successful team in the IPL with four titles. Virat Kohli is the most leading batsman in the tournament with a total of 5412 runs, while the Sri Lankan seamer, Lasith Malinga, leads the wicket-taking charts with 170 scalps to his name.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport