Aditya Verma, the original spot-fixing case petitioner in the 2011 Indian Premier League (IPL), believes that the 13th edition of the IPL 2020 must be held in India, rather than the United Arab Emirates since the country is “also not safe” from the ongoing Coronavirus outbreak.
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the IPL 2020 is scheduled to take place in the UAE from September 19 with the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) awaiting approval from the central government.
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Pointing out the UAE had to postpone November’s Dubai Rugby Sevens, Verma believes that the BCCI can create a bio-bubble in a city like Mumbai instead of shifting the premier league to the UAE, saying it would be far easier than having three separate zones in three UAE cities.
Verma also revealed that he has requested the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly to conduct the IPL 2020 in India despite the country has recorded 1.7 million Coronavirus cases so far, saying it would be a big achievement if the board can hold a successful IPL in the country in this COVID-19 situation.
He told PTI: “The Dubai Rugby Sevens is a big event in the UAE and they had to postpone it when it was supposed to be held in November. So how can we take IPL to UAE.”
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He further added, “I have written to Dada (Ganguly) and requested him to have IPL in India," Verma told PTI. "They can at least try their best to do it in Mumbai.”
The secretary of the unsanctioned Cricket Association of Bihar has also questioned why doesn't the BCCI think of making IPL 13 a league full of Indian players if the foreign players will be wary of traveling to India compared to Dubai where the COVID-19 case count is less than a lakh.
He signed off by saying, “We have 60 plus foreigners. If they are not willing to come, we can replace them with Indian players. An IPL in India would help to uplift the mood of the common public which is already stressed by COVID-19. If we can hold a successful IPL in India in these times, it will be a huge achievement.”
(With PTI Inputs)
