After a lengthy COVID-19 hiatus, IPL Governing Council Chairman Brijesh Patel last week announced that the 13th edition of Indian Premier League will be held in UAE from September 19 to November 8.
See Also: Emirates Cricket Board receives the letter of intent from BCCI to host IPL in UAE
The dates might have been confirmed, but the tougher bit will be the effort BCCI puts in to pull it off as the novel Coronavirus outbreak continues to wreak havoc globally.
According to a PTI report, the Indian board is likely to hand over a comprehensive Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) to the eight franchises for IPL 2020 but there are some burning questions that all the stakeholders need to figure out in the coming days.
Regarding players’ families:
This is a complicated subject that will totally depend on what BCCI states in its SOPs. But as per a senior franchise official, it will be unfair to keep players away from their partners and families for two months.
“During normal times, the wives and girlfriends, at times families join the players during a specified time but this is completely different scenario. If families travel, can they be confined to rooms without being able to move around normally?” an official asked.
“There will be players who have kids aged between 3 to 5 and how do you keep them in a room for two months,” he added.
Smaller boutique hotels or resorts over five star hotels:
While top cricket sides are habitual of five-star facilities but it is a difficult plan to rent out multiple five star hotels just for the team where other visitors won’t be permitted.
A senior BCCI official, who was an integral part of 2014 IPL in Dubai, reckons three-star boutique hotels are as good as five star and there are resorts which are easier to be rented out in the desert city.
“Look every franchise won’t be able to match up to say Mumbai Indians, who will undoubtedly have the best set-up in these trying times. They have private jets, can even take doctors from their super speciality hospital, rent out a five-star hotel. Others need to check out what’s best for them. May be a beach resort,” the official said.
Team bus driver and local security officer:
Under normal circumstances, the franchises in co-ordination with the Emirates Cricket Board will be hiring local transport, including luxury bus which carries the teams to stadiums.
Amid the COVID-19 crisis, however, the local drivers might have to be asked to stay in the bio-secure environment for two months.
“If every day, they are going to go home, they are exposed to outside environment and you have to negate the risk to minimum,” a top franchise official said.
The same case applies to the local security personnel who will be deployed on and off the field for the teams.
Catering staff at grounds serving players:
Normally, the catering staff serve the players during the break. Will there be a separate bio-bubble for them?
As per the report, they might be tested every day just like the drivers and security officers and they can also be included in the bio-secure environment.
(With PTI inputs)
