The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) will be hosting the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Also other than IPL the T20 World Cup which was scheduled to take place in India has been shifted to UAE. However, India still holds all the powers of the host of the marquee event.
Meanwhile, The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) hopes to see fans live in UAE watching the IPL 2021 and the T20 World Cup 2021. Notably, ECB has a good experience of hosting events in the pandemic era. They were hosts in the last season of IPL, As well as they recently hosted the second half of PSL successfully without any interruption.
🗓️ The dates are OUT!
Get ready for the #VIVOIPL extravaganza in the UAE 🇦🇪
FULL SCHEDULE 👇 pic.twitter.com/8yUov0CURb
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) July 25, 2021
Meanwhile, the first half of IPL 2021 was suspended after the Covid-19 spread across various teams. As a result, only 29 matches were completed during the India leg of IPL 2021. Meanwhile, in May The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to shift the remaining half of the IPL 2021 to UAE. Also, the T20 World Cup was transferred to UAE.
The main reason behind this was the third wave of Covid-19 which is expected to arrive in India. So, the remaining 31 games of the IPL 2021 and T20 World Cup will start in UAE in the upcoming months.
“We have proven experience in hosting and delivering high-profile sporting events” – Usmani
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of ECB, Mubashir Usmani, stated that they have experience hosting these big events. He stated that they are looking forward to hosting the event successfully once again. Also, he said that they have a good team and are ready to face any given challenge.
“We are looking forward to hosting both the IPL once again and the T20 World Cup in the UAE. We have proven experience in hosting and delivering high-profile sporting events. Aside from a team with an exceptionally strong cricket administration pedigree, we have a UAE-wide team of highly experienced events and logistics companies and individuals, therefore we are confident in facing and working confidently through any challenges that may arise,” Usmani told Gulf News.
Meanwhile, Mubashir Usmani further stated that ECB will work closely with authorities to seek approval of all the protocols that need to be followed. Also, ECB is expecting to see fans live on the ground.
“As hosts, ECB will work closely with the authorities to seek approval on what protocols need to be followed – this includes fan attendance, we will then discuss it with the BCCI as well as the ICC to assess their spectator requirements. We want our expat and Emirati sports loving fans in the UAE to be able to watch the action from the stands,” he added.
