The Barkatullah Khan Stadium in Jodhpur could be given the opportunity to host its first Indian Premier League match in the upcoming edition of the tournament. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament will be hosted across India and the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) is looking to take advantage of this and promote the sport in different parts of the state.
According to the Indian Express, RCA officials have informally communicated their desire to host several matches in the city to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), and a decision will soon be made. The BCCI will send a team to evaluate the stadium and its facilities and if they meet the required standards, Jodhpur could be approved as a new venue.
A source from the BCCI was quoted in the report, stating that the request is only verbal and a decision will be made after the assessment team submits its report. However, the BCCI has some concerns regarding the size of the stadium’s boundary and a portion believes that it may not meet the necessary distance requirements, which could impact Jodhpur’s chances of hosting matches.
Despite this, RCA remains optimistic as the stadium recently hosted several first-class games and was successful in hosting a few matches of the Legends League Cricket (LLC) in 2022. The venue has a capacity to host 30,000 people and there is a good chance that the IPL governing council will give its approval for Jodhpur to host matches.
The Sawai Maan Singh Stadium in Jaipur is currently the home ground for the Rajasthan Royals franchise. The 16th edition of the IPL is expected to begin in the last week of March 2023.
