New Delhi: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday (September 9) departed for Dubai to supervise and look after the preparations for the bio-secure ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 starting from September 19.
Mumbai Indians will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening match of the IPL 2020 which starts in UAE. The league has been pulled out of the country due to the uprising COVID-19 cases in India.
“My first flight in 6 months to Dubai for IPL…crazy life changes,” Ganguly posted on his Instagram with a picture in which he is wearing a mask and face guard, which is a part of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) while travelling in a flight during the pandemic.
IPL chairman Brijesh Patel is already in Dubai. Despite all the strict protocols, earlier 13 members of CSK tested positive for the deadly virus, including two players — Ruturaj Gaikwad and Deepak Chahar. CSK vice-captain Suresh Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh was pulled out from this year’s IPL due to personal reasons.
Spectators will not be allowed inside the stadiums when the IPL kicks off from September 19, but some crowd might be allowed in the later stages of the tournament after a review of the COVID-19 situation. The tournament will be held in three venues – Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai.
