IPL 2021 Under Fire – BCCI Adamant to continue: The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League is under some fire for continuing matches amid Covid-19 crisis in entire country. But the Indian board (BCCI) is as usual adamant to continue IPL 2021 despite of humanitarian crisis in the country due to Covid-19. R.Ashwin, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Kane Richardson have pulled out of IPL 2021 due to Covid-19 but BCCI is adamant to continue.
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BCCI declared that they will continue with IPL 2021 as schedule despite the entire country being engulfed with Covid-19.
“IPL provides a much-needed distraction for all from the doom and gloom around us,” the BCCI official was quoted by Reuters requesting anonymity.
One of the leading newspaper down South The New Indian Express declared on Sunday they had decided to suspend its IPL coverage, while hundreds of fans lambasted the league on social media.
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“IPL provides a much-needed distraction for all from the doom and gloom around us,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
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“Yes, cases have surged in venues like Delhi, but we have two standby venues in Hyderabad and Indore and we’d use them if needed”, said the IPL GC member.
Not only fans but Australia’s Adam Gilchrist, who led now-defunct Deccan Chargers to their maiden IPL victory in 2009, also had raised question marks over continuation of the league amid Covid-19 crisis in India.
“Best wishes to all in India. Frightening Covid numbers. #IPL continues. Inappropriate? Or important distraction each night? Whatever your thoughts, prayers are with you,” tweeted the former test player.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced the extension of ongoing coronavirus lockdown in the national capital by a week. The decision has been taken due to the high positivity rate even though there has been a slight dip in the daily figures of new cases.
“Coronavirus is still continuing to wreak havoc. After discussing with stakeholders, we are extending the lockdown further by another week,” Kejriwal said during a televised announcement on Sunday.
So what happens to the IPL 2021 matches that are scheduled to be played in Delhi from April 28? A total of eight matches of the ongoing T20 league are to be played at Delhi’s Arun Jaitely Stadium.
“The Game is On. The lockdown will actually help us in carrying out our job more smoothly,” DDCA joint secretary Rajan Manchanda had told InsideSport.co last week.
Manchanda had further revealed that all the logistical work “BCCI has not told us to stop our work so we are continuing and will be completely ready to hold the IPL in the next two days.”
So far, as part of the first leg of IPL 2021, the matches have been held at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium and Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium. In the second leg, the matches will be played in Delhi and Ahmedabad.
Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium will play host to 12 matches this season including the playoffs and the final.
Full Schedule of Delhi Matches
April 28 – CSK vs SRH (7:30 PM IST)
April 29 – MI vs RR (3:30 PM IST)
Editors pick
