It’s IPL season and the noise and excitement are just at another level. Players of all franchises have already started preparing for the upcoming IPL in their preparatory camp. And now, Kings XI Punjab becomes the first franchise to leave for the UAE for the forthcoming IPL season.
Kings XI Punjab players today morning departed for UAE to prepare for IPL 13, which will begin on September 19th. The KXIP franchise official twitter account formally confirmed the news and shared some photos from the flight. This year, the team is being will be led by KL Rahul and coached by Anil Kumble.
KXIP Depart For UAE For IPL 2020
Also, the popular franchise roped in likes of Jonty Rhodes, Wasim Jaffer, Charl Langeveldt and others as the coaching staff after Mike Hesson quit after IPL 2019. KXIP decided not to arrange a team camp in India before leaving but all their players and support staff underwent COVID-19 tests before boarding their flight today.
Kings XI Punjab also tweeted a video of their players flying to UAE. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami also shared a picture after boarding the flight and wrote, “Apne Munde Lion off to Dubai for UAE”.
#SaddeFans, lo tuhadde lai good morning gift 🤩#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 pic.twitter.com/eXn0iULZW1
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) August 20, 2020
Shami bhai, Shami bhai, aagaye ne 🤩#SaddaPunjab #IPL2020 @MdShami11 pic.twitter.com/Cb766zZd7h
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) August 20, 2020
Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul also took to Twitter to share a photo of their departure. “Here we go,” Rahul wrote on the microblogging website.
Here we go 🙏🦁 @lionsdenkxip pic.twitter.com/kY9pmbrjzF
— K L Rahul (@klrahul) August 20, 2020
Meanwhile, all other franchises are anticipated to fly to the United Arab Emirates in a few days time. Other franchises such as Mumbai Indian and Chennai Super Kings are keeping all their fans updated by posting photos and videos of players practising in the training camp.
The 13th edition of the most prominent T20 league in the world will take centre stage from September 19. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several new things will be introduced in the IPL 2020 season as BCCI has already laid down a strict comprehensive plan for all the 8 franchises.
All the players and officials will have to adhere to SOPs allotted by BCCI. The players and officials will land in quarantine for seven days upon arriving in UAE and will endure rounds of testing.
