Lalit Modi backs IPL expansion beyond 74 matches

Indian Premier League (IPL) founder and first chairman Lalit Modi has expressed support for the idea of expanding the IPL window, aligning with current chairman Arun Singh Dhumal’s vision for the league’s future. The move comes amid growing discussions about reshaping the global cricket calendar after 2027.

Room to grow

Dhumal recently highlighted that the IPL currently follows a 74-match format but suggested there is potential to increase the number of games as interest in bilateral cricket wanes. He pointed to global trends in franchise-based leagues such as The Hundred, the Big Bash League, and SA20 as examples of the sport’s evolving landscape.

“If you look at the transition over the last few years, there is definitely less interest in some bilateral games,” Dhumal told The Times Network.

In response, Modi took to X, writing “I told u so,” signalling his backing for a future expansion of the IPL window.

Challenges and possibilities

Dhumal acknowledged that immediate expansion is limited by the current international calendar, which is locked until 2027. “It makes sense, and it is already locked until 2027. But when they plan post-2027, we will have discussions… hopefully, we can carve out a bigger window and extend it beyond 74 matches,” he said.

He outlined possible approaches, including reducing some bilateral commitments or finding new windows in the global schedule. “There are different possibilities… all those can be worked out, and whatever works best, we will do,” he added.

A changing cricket landscape

Highlighting the IPL’s growing influence, Dhumal noted, “It is not only about the IPL… that is the new world order for cricket: fewer bilaterals, more league cricket, and in between you have ICC events, a bit like football.”

With global interest increasingly shifting toward franchise tournaments, the IPL looks set to play a central role in shaping cricket’s future beyond 2027.