IPL 2021: As Coronavirus Spreads Fast, Fans Hope For The Best
Holding an extreme view and carting the ball out of the park is what interests him most. He is a hard hitter at all times. Fasten your seatbelts and read.
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By Slogger
First publised on 2021-04-09 09:39:20
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Holding an extreme view and carting the ball out of the park is what interests him most. He is a hard hitter at all times. Fasten your seatbelts and read.
View all posts by this Author
The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets underway today with a bio bubble in place and rules changed to do away with the system of home and away matches as matches will be held in just five cities - Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi and Ahmedabad in order to minimize travel in these troubled times. Also, the tournament will be played without in-stadium spectators in the initial stages and a call to allow spectators will be taken at a later stage. But with coronavirus spreading throughout India at a fast pace, there is little chance of that.
Although the IPL was held successfully in the UAE last year in a bio-secure bubble and there is no doubt that India can also host it similarly this year, the question is that if the virus continues to scale new heights of infections and if a public health emergency is declared, or God forbid, a nation-wide lockdown is imposed once again, it is possible that the tournament will either be left incomplete or move elsewhere for the rest of the matches. But that is the worst case scenario. It is hoped that things will be under control and the fans will get to watch an exciting tournament on television.
There is no doubt that over the years, the IPL has carved out a distinct niche in the cricketing calendar. Its importance is not just because it is a fiercely competitive tournament as well as a carnival of cricket, but also because it allows cricketers from all over the world to earn enough to have a safety net after their playing days are over. For India, it provides a stage for unheralded players to hog the limelight through impressive performances and catch the eye of national selectors. The current impressive bench strength of the Indian team is in no small measure due to the exposure provided by the IPL.
As last yearâs winners Mumbai Indians meet Royal Challengers Bangalore in the tournament opener today at 7.30 pm in Chennai, the fans can look forward to 7 weeks of non-stop and entertaining cricket. The final is slated for May 30 in Ahmedabad.
