Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO and MD Venky Mysore is “very hopeful” that England and Australia's players will be available from the start of the 13th edition of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 starting from September 19 in the UAE.
As many as 29 England and Australian players are spread across the eight franchises for the IPL 2020, with KKR having five of them – Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins, Tom Banton, Chris Green, and Harry Gurney.
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England and Australia will be busy in the upcoming limited-overs series starting from 4 to 16 September –three days before the IPL opener on September 19, and Mysore hopes KKR stars will not have to skip their initial matches in the tournament, saying they are currently working on the same.
His comments come after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) chairman Sanjeev Churiwala said the England and Australia players won't need to undergo the mandatory six-day quarantine in the UAE as they would be already coming from a bio-secure environment in the UK.
Mysore told PTI, “Can’t say anything specific. IPL is doing everything they can to put a process in place so that those players are available to play. KKR is very hopeful.”
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The KKR squad has already reached UAE where they are currently staying in Abu Dhabi and Mysore said: “I am glad our boys have reached the UAE safely, and are being well taken care of. All SOPs and protocols established by the IPL have been complied with.”
The KKR boss signed off by saying, “Once the quarantine requirements are met, the team will start practice sessions. We are pleased that the IPL 2020 season will be underway in a few weeks despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.”
(With PTI Inputs)
