Sourav Ganguly announces BIG change in IPL 2023 format, here's how Indian Premier League will be played from next year

IPL 2023 will return to league's old format. In the pre-Covid-19 era, teams played home and away games. However, the outbreak of the virus resulted in teams playing in a strict bio-bubble environment to ensure there was less travelling and tighter following of the protocols. But with players and staff vaccinated and easing off the spread of the virus, Indian Premier League will return to the old format where one team played 7 matches at home and other 7 matche away. This has been confirmed by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly himsel.  

The IPL has been held at only a few venues since the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 as the lucrative league unfolded behind close doors across three venues in UAE -- Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.

In 2021 too, the tournament was held across four venues -- Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Chennai. However, with the pandemic under control, the cash-rich league will return to its old format in which each team plays one home and one away match.

.@gujarat_titans winning their maiden IPL Title in their maiden IPL season at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad! @GCAMotera _ _

Stuff that dreams are made of! __ _

W. O. W! _ _#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/qNMtJZHwDv — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2022

"The next season of men's IPL will also go back to the home and away format with all ten teams playing their home matches at their designated venues," read a Ganguly's note to state units.

The note gave them a "snapshot" of the ongoing domestic season.

The BCCI is conducting a full-fledged domestic season for the first time since 2020 and all multi-day tournaments will also return to the traditional home and away format.

Women's IPL start early next year

The BCCI is also working to host the inaugural edition of the much-anticipated Women's IPL early next year. PTI had last month reported that the tournament is likely to take place in March after the Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa.

"The BCCI is currently working on the much-awaited Women's IPL. We are expecting to start the first season early next year," Ganguly wrote in the letter dated September 20.

With PTI inputs