The second leg of the IPL, for which Bangladesh has been kept as a standby venue, could be held in India itself with the organisers claiming that state governments want to host the matches once polling for general elections is completed in their areas.
The IPL's first phase, scheduled from April 16 to 30 and comprising 20 games, has been shifted to the United Arab Emirates owing to a clash of dates with the general elections.
The second leg of the tournament has been set from May 1 to 12. The elections are set to be conducted from April 7 to May 12 in nine phases.
"Pursuant to the initiative taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, many State Governments have indicated that IPL matches can be conducted in their respective states," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement after the IPL Governing council meeting here.
"Based on the responses received so far, the BCCI believes that the Pepsi IPL 2014 can be conducted in India from the first week of May," he added.
The schedule for the remaining 40 matches will be announced in due course.
The last leg of the IPL from May 13, including the play-offs and the final slated for June 1, will be held in India.
This is the second time the event has had to be forced out of the country due to elections. In 2009, the entire tournament had to be shifted to South Africa, a country which was in contention to host the event even this time.
Photograph: BCCI
