The Board of Control for Cricket in India has made the decision to move the Indian Premier League to the UAE in September due to the country’s surge in Covid-19 cases.
Since April 1, the latest wave of the pandemic has continued to cripple the country as an estimated 160,000 people have died and hospitals continue to be overwhelmed.
Despite players living within in a bio bubble, many players tested positive earlier this month, forcing the BCCI to suspend the tournament.
“The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organizing the IPL. This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and well-being of all the stakeholders in mind,” said the BCCI in a statement.
Angling for a return for the finals, the cricket board hopes that the global governing body can later evaluate the country’s pandemic situation to make a decision on whether the Twenty20 World Cup can take place in India in October or November.
The regions annual monsoon season presents another problem as it typically runs from June to mid-September. Last year, the entire IPL was staged in the UAE due to this.
Downplaying the pandemic situation in India, the BCCI cited the monsoon season as to why the IPL is moving to the UAE, not mentioning the pandemic. The cricket board had in fact “unanimously agreed” that the rest of the matches be held in the UAE “considering the moon season in India in the months of September-October this year.”
With the World Cup also expected to take place in India in October, the tournament will be discussed by the ICC next Tuesday due to fears that another wave of coronavirus may hit the region later this year.
