The pandemic coronavirus has affected a lot of global events over the last two weeks and it has also taken a grip on the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) might be forced to organise the matches closed-doors in a bid to prevent the threat from spreading.
Amid all these, a fresh directive from the Government of India stated that they have cancelled all the visit visa in the rise of the coronavirus till April 7. Thus, it meant that the overseas cricketers will not be able to join their respective teams before April 15 with the IPL slated to get underway from March 29. If this turns out to be true, it will be a massive setback for the franchises and the tournament will also lose its shine.
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Though it is unlikely that the lucrative tournament will get underway as per schedule, the franchises are concerned about their overseas stars. While stating that they okay to play matches in an empty stadium as they have no hand in it, the franchises urged the BCCI to sit with the Central Government and find a way out to help the overseas cricketer enter the country before April 15.
See, the gate money is no issue as these things are insured. As for the fans, it is disappointing, but we don’t really have much of an option as we have to abide by the diktat of the central government and even WHO has declared the outbreak a “pandemic”.
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“This makes it clear that if we have to have an IPL this year, it has to be behind closed doors. So now, would we rather want an IPL where fans can watch the games on television or we don’t want an IPL in 2020? So, we are okay with that, but the BCCI must sit down and speak to the central government to make an exception and allow the foreign players to come in before April 15 as the IPL loses its sheen otherwise,” the official said.
As per reports in Espncricinfo, IPL 2020 is likely to be played behind closed doors. Though there is no confirmation on the stand, but after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a pandemic, it is almost certain that it might be declared soon.
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