New Delhi: The remainder of the suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 will be played outside the country, said Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) head Sourav Ganguly, putting to rest a lot of speculations about the league.

While it remains unclear if a window will be available this year to play the outstanding 31 games of the tournament, Ganguly said he is sure that it will not happen in India in the present scenario.

The 14th edition of the immensely popular cricket league that began on 9 April was suspended mid-way last week after several cricketers including team staff tested positive for Covid-19.

"There are lots of organisational hazards like 14-day quarantine. It can't happen in India," Ganguly told Sportstar magazine in an exclusive interview, expressing reservations over holding rest of the league matches in India due to the Covid-19 restrictions ."This quarantine is tough to handle. Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL."

Warwickshire, Surrey and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) are keen to host the remaining matches in September. But according to a Reuters report, BCCI is yet to discuss the offer.

IPL 2020 was played in the United Arab Emirates last September when the world braved the first onslaught of the deadly pandemic.

The BCCI head had earlier revealed that the governing body will incur a loss of Rs 2,500 crore if the suspended IPL 2021 is called off for this year. "If we fail to complete the IPL, the loss will be close to Rs 2500 crore ($340 million approximately). That is going by early estimates," he had told The Telegraph. 

Meanwhile, India would play three one-dayers and five Twenty20 Internationals in Sri Lanka in July.

The Indian team is expected to leave for England in early June for the World Test Championship final in Southampton against New Zealand. They will play a five-test series against England.