All eyes will be on the crowd attendance as the BCCI is gearing up to stage the second phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in UAE from September 19 to October 15.
The cash-rich tournament was successfully held in UAE last year behind closed doors. Unlike IPL 2020, however, the crowd is likely to be allowed in the stadiums for the remainder of IPL 14.
According to an IANS report, the BCCI has "no problem" if the spectators are allowed in the second leg of IPL 2021 but it shouldn’t be at the cost of players and peoples' safety.
Earlier, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) general secretary Mubashir Usmani had said that the board will speak to the BCCI and the UAE government regarding allowing crowds back into the stands.
"We are working on that and we are hoping that the UAE government will allow the crowd this time since everyone is vaccinated there. Let's see what happens. Hopefully, fans will be allowed but not at the coast players' or peoples' safety -- that is more important. Rest is on the UAE government to decide," BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told IANS.
As per reports, UAE government has given the green signal to allow 60 per cent capacity of the crowd in the stadium for the remaining matches.
A total of 31 matches will be played in the UAE-leg of IPL, which got underway in April in India but was postponed on May 4 after the completion of 29 games due to COVID-19 positive cases in bio-bubbles of multiple franchises.
Meanwhile, Dhumal also confirmed that the IPL 2022 will have two new teams.
"Everybody is looking up to the IPL now; we believe it will be an exciting tournament in UAE. This would be the last season of IPL with eight teams. Most likely there will be 10 teams next time. We are working on that too," he remarked.
(With IANS inputs)
