Now that the first step towards cancellation has been taken, the authorities of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) are racking their brains on what comes next and what if. There is no immediate word on whether an investigation will be conducted into the doomed season, but efforts are underway to determine the causes.
The causes, of course, will be for a later date, but it seems that when and where to host the rest of the league is being considered in the September window. So far, 29 of the 60 games have been played and the BCCI is exploring the option of holding the remaining 31 games in September.
“A September window is being considered. By then the England-India series would be over and foreign players would be ready for the T20 World Cup. That small window is being explored,” said a franchise official who is aware.
When he was contacted, Brijesh Patel, the president of the IPL, did not rule that out. When specifically asked what’s next, he said: “Now we have to look for a window. If we have one, we will explore how to hold it up. We will have to see if it is possible in September. We need to examine the plans of the ICC and other boards.”
The T20 World Cup is scheduled from October 18 to November 15 with uncertainty about the venue. India is the designated host, but the United Arab Emirates has been on hold. In reaction to the comments of the IPL president, another franchise official said that September was a long way off and that it was necessary to see how the Coronavirus situation develops in this window.
Prior to making the decision to suspend the league, IPL and BCCI officials privately contacted the franchise managers / CEO for their views on the way forward for the tournament on Tuesday. (May 4 in the morning). Rajeev Shukla, the vice president of BCCI, flagged the franchises and solicited his views before BCCI’s top brass met around noon on Tuesday (May 4). It is believed that most franchises preferred immediate suspension from the league.
One of the owners, Ness Wadia of Punjab Kings called it the “right decision at the right time”.
“It is very regrettable, but it is a decision that is correct in the current circumstances. I would say that given the drastic increase in cases in the last two or three weeks, it has brought a new dimension to the planning that was done in it,” he said Wadia, who also confessed not being concerned about the monetary loss.
“It is important that we consider the safety of the players. That is the most important factor. Personally, I have not thought about the financial losses. We will deal with that later. Right now we are focusing on ensuring the safe return of the players.” . ,” he said.
With four teams testing positive for Covid, the tournament couldn’t have dragged on for long anyway. But at one point, the option of suspending the action for five days and quarantining the entire IPL entourage was explored, but BCCI bosses realized panic among foreign players and senior support staff members. level.
Right now, BCCI and franchises are focusing on sending team members home. Charter flights to Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ranchi, and Delhi are being booked, even as the BCCI has called teams to say it is coordinating with foreign boards to send its players home amid the travel ban. from India for the Australians involved in the IPL.
In a joint statement, Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricket Players Association confirmed that they will not seek a government extension to lift the travel ban for people flying from India, scheduled until May 15. However, South African players will allow flying back and will need to undergo home quarantine per WHO guidelines. And the England Cricket Board said in a statement that it was “in close contact with our players and staff in India as arrangements are made for them to return home safely.”
IPL GC examines bubble ruptures
The members of the IPL Governing Council largely made up of incumbents, had a great influence on the BCCI medical team. Questions raised about the actions taken and how they did not materialize.
The medical team hired the Supratech company to manage the biosecurity bubble in Ahmedabad, while in Chennai and Mumbai, Newberg was responsible. The name of the Delhi bubble company was not immediately known, but the BCCI is presumed to be probing.
