The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is being awaited with bated breath as the 13th season of the popular T20 league will begin on September 19. This comes after multiple postponements due to the Coronavirus pandemic, which forced the BCCI to move the tournament to the UAE.
However, the fans are still awaiting the schedule of the tournament, which is not been announced by the BCCI, despite less than three weeks remaining for the start of the tournament.
However, if reports of India Today are to be believed, the full schedule of the IPL 2020 will be announced on Saturday, September 5. The 13th edition of the tournament is set to be played from September 19 to November 10 across 3 cities in the UAE - Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
Apart from this, the tournament is all set to get underway with a blockbuster opening fixture featuring Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. The board is confident of starting the tournament with the marquee clash featuring MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma's men, the board sources have told India Today.
IPL 2020: "IPL to happen as planned; schedule to be announced soon," confirms BCCI's Arun Dhumal
CSK and MI were scheduled to meet in the opening match of the tournament before it was postponed from April-May due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
BCCI is hoping the concerns around the Covid-19 positive cases should be under control by the time the tournament starts on September 19.
There were doubts over Chennai Super Kings' availability for the opening fixture as 13 of their members, including 2 players, tested Covid-19 positive during the mandatory 6-day quarantine period in Dubai. However, all the remaining members tested negative for the virus in the 1st of the 2 additional tests. The said group will take the 2nd Covid-19 test on Thursday.
CSK CEO Kasi Vishwanathan said that the franchise will begin training in Dubai from Friday, provided all the other members test negative for Covid-19 in Thursday's test. Viswanathan also said CSK will be ready to play the opening fixture if required.
All other teams have had multiple outdoor training and net sessions so far.
(India Today inputs)
