The BCCI is jubilant after receiving formal permission from the Indian government to hold the IPL 2020 in UAE. The board had already announced that the 13th edition of the popular T20 league will be held from September 19-November 10 in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Now a top-level delegation of the Indian cricket board is expected to leave for Dubai by the third week of August to do a recce of the venues and other infrastructure of the UAE.
The chairman of IPL, Brijesh Patel, Hemang Amin, interim CEO of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and COO of IPL, will be heading the team which will have to quarantine themselves for six days on arrival in their hotel rooms before they get down to business.
The eight franchises will also arrive in UAE after August 20 to set up preparatory camps. Their players have already assembled in their respective cities in India to quarantine themselves and take the mandatory PCR tests.
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“We have got the official permission from the government to hold IPL in UAE,” Patel confirmed.
“Taking note of the prevailing COVID-19 situation in India, the IPL GC decided to stage the tournament in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi subject to necessary clearances from the Government of India,” BCCI had earlier said in a press release after their governing council meeting on August 2.
UAE last held the first half of the IPL in 2014 owing to the general elections in the country and the BCCI were happy with their preparation and work done by the Emirates Cricket Board.
(gulfnews.com inputs)
