Safety remains paramount as the BCCI has announced that the 13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played in UAE from September 19 to November 10.

According to a PTI report, the Indian board’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for IPL 2020 recommends that teams use "empty stands" as extended dressing rooms for training and matches while strategy meetings can now be held outdoors in order to maintain social distancing.

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The SOP document, accessed by PTI, states that teams will be encouraged to use the stands for dressing room purpose which helps in maintaining social distancing.

"The Bio-Secure Environment means only essential staff will be on site and no members of the public will be allowed. Therefore there will be more vacant areas at the stadium and hence the dressing room does not have to remain within the traditional area.

"Venue Cricket Operation teams should consider using appropriate areas beyond the normal dressing room," the SOP states.

Moreover, the franchises have been asked to use electronic team sheets rather than skippers carrying hard copies of their playing XI list.

The SOP also states that franchises might install "Scalene Hypercharge Corona Canon (Shycocan), a device that has the ability to neutralise 99.9 per cent of the coronavirus that might be floating in the air in closed spaces."

As far as the medical team is concerned – the SOP recommends that they have to wear PPE kits if need to get in physical contact with the player.

Players and match officials have been advised to go back to their hotel and take a shower after match days.

The other guidelines are mostly those which ICC has already stated in its SOP published couple of months back, including the ban on saliva to shine the ball.

(With PTI inputs)