IPL 2021 suspended after SRH’s Saha exams constructive, ‘players’ well being paramount’, says BCCI

The BCCI has determined to droop the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) in the meanwhile. The cricket board workplace bearers went right into a huddle on Monday night after the IPL bubble was breached. They determined to postpone the match.
“The IPL has been suspended for the time being. We spoke to everyone from teams, broadcasters and all those who were involved in it. It was decided to defer the IPL, especially looking at the sentiment and current situation in the country. For us players’ health is paramount and BCCI will always keeps safety first. We will meet again soon and decide when we can conclude this edition, we will have to see when is the next window available,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla instructed The Indian Express.
On Tuesday, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha was examined constructive for coronavirus. This got here on the heels of Kolkata Knight Riders’ spinner Varun Chakravarthy and medium-pacer Sandeep Warrier returning COVID-19 constructive. The sport between KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore yesterday was cancelled. Following Saha contracting COVID-19, one other postponement was on the playing cards, Tuesday night’s sport between Sunrisers and Mumbai Indians.
Chennai Super Kings’ bowling coach L Balaji returning COVID-19 constructive made issues much more difficult. Almost all people within the CSK group got here to his “close contact”, which compelled a six-day self-isolation as per the IPL’s Covid protocols.
As per the IPL COVID-19 tips, “close contact” of an affected particular person ought to “isolate for six days” and return “3 negative tests on Day 1, 3 and 6”.
CSK communicated to the BCCI that they wouldn’t be capable to play their subsequent match in opposition to Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday.
Over two days, COVID-19 engulfed the IPL and the BCCI had no choice however to droop it. It is learnt that transferring the match to a single venue was by no means an choice, for creating new bubbles in the course of the match was well-nigh inconceivable. Shifting the IPL out to the United Arab Emirates was already dominated out.
“It’s not feasible to take the IPL to UAE now, midway into the tournament,” a prime BCCI official instructed The Indian Express.
Also, through the dialog on Monday, he didn’t rule out postponement.
“We are watching the situation closely. Can’t say at the moment if postponement (of the tournament) is an option. We are hoping that the situation will get better. We will decide as per the situation,” he had stated.
Asked why the BCCI didn’t maintain this 12 months’s IPL additionally in UAE, he stated: “We had an excellent England series, where spectators were allowed inside the stadiums. India’s COVID-19 curve had flattened. So naturally we didn’t think about organising this year’s IPL in UAE. In England, Premier League continued when they had a second wave and the country went into a lockdown.”