Cricket-BCCI chief Ganguly hopeful IPL 2022 will be held in India

FILE PHOTO: Former Indian cricketer and current BCCI (Board Of Control for Cricket in India) president Sourav Ganguly reacts during a press conference at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, India, October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian cricket board president Sourav Ganguly expects next year's Indian Premier League (IPL) to be played in the country after the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to stage the second half of this year's tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

The eight-team tournament with an estimated brand value of $6.8 billion was halted near its halfway mark in May after two franchises reported coronavirus cases.