Emirates Cricket Board has offered to host the Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL 2020) amid the coronavirus pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As per a Hindustan Times report, Emirates Cricket Board has made the proposal to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). UAE now becomes the second country after Sri Lanka to offer to host IPL 13, which was initially scheduled to be held on March 29 and was subsequently postponed indefinitely. Is it Going to be IPL 13 vs ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Once Coronavirus Pandemic Ends?.
“The UAE has offered to host the IPL if we want them to. But right now when there is no international travel, there is no question of taking a call on that,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal was quoted as saying in the report.
“The health and security of players and all participants is our priority. At the moment, the entire world travel has come to a standstill, so there is nothing we can decide at this stage,” he added. When Will Live Cricket Return? Tracking the Possibility of Resumption of Sport Amid Coronavirus Crisis.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had proposed to host the IPL 13, but the island nation is itself under lockdown. “We have discussed amongst our committee members the proposal to host the IPL in Sri Lanka. We are in lockdown till May 11. Any further decision will be taken after that,” said SLC secretary Mohan de Silva.
The UAE has already hosted IPL once, when in 2014 around 20 matches were held in the gulf country due to the general elections in India. Meanwhile, BCCI reportedly is looking at identifying bio-secure stadiums in India as well.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 10, 2020 12:24 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).