The BCCI had a huge task on their hands when it was decided that the 13th edition of the popular Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) was to be shifted to the UAE. The rising Coronavirus cases in India made it impossible for the board to hold the cash-rich T20 league in the country.
Meanwhile, the UAE and the Emirates Cricket Board were more than welcome at the offer of hosting the IPL 2020 in their country and it was decided that the matches will be played across three cities- Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah.
BCCI hired a UK-based firm Restrata for preparing the bio-bubbles for the eight franchise teams, while the franchises themselves booked entire hotels and beach resorts to ensure that their players were not taxed mentally during the 2-month long tournament. Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI President, had traveled to the UAE before the tournament started and worked out the nitty-gritty of the whole deal.
IPL 2020: Sourav Ganguly thanks all players of each IPL team after smooth conduct of IPL 13 in UAE
The franchises had to undergo COVID-19 testing on arrival in the UAE and the tests were repeated regularly throughout the duration of the tournament. Families of players were not allowed to go sight-seeing and were confined to the bio-bubble of the respective franchises.
Though there was a glitch at the start when 13 members of the Chennai Super Kings tested positive for the COVID-19, and their quarantine period was extended from 7 days to 14 days; the remainder of the tournament went without a hitch and we saw Mumbai Indians becoming five-time champions by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final and defending their title, which they had won in 2019.
All the eight franchises took to Twitter in order to show gratitude towards the Indian cricket board (BCCI) for the smooth execution of the IPL 2020 despite the hurdles of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Here are the tweets:
