IPL 2020: Teams to Take their Own Net Bowlers to UAE
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|| Desk Report ||
13th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin from September 19 where all teams are planning to take their own practice bowlers to the United Arab Emirates as the bio-secure ‘bubble’ surrounding the tournament wouldn’t allow them to use local cricketers, franchise officials told Reuters.
The IPL was earlier scheduled to begin in late March but was postponed for an indefinite time period due to the novel coronavirus outbreak before being switched to the UAE earlier this month.
However, strict bio-security measures are being put in place for the 53-day cash-rich league where the final will take place on November 10 and the IPL’s eight teams will have to arrange their own net bowlers keeping the league’s health protocols in mind.
“We’re planning to take around eight-10 net bowlers,” Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Chief Executive Kasi Viswanathan shared over the telephone. “We have a list of players from Tamil Nadu to pick from and most of them will be first-class cricketers.”
Chennai Super Kings will host a training camp in Chennai from Sunday before flying to UAE on Aug. 21, he further added. Meanwhile, Kings XI Punjab Chief Executive Satish Menon has confirmed that they too would fly with their own set of net bowlers for the tournament.
“Around seven of them will join the players in Delhi and Bangalore before we leave on the 20th,” he said to Reuters.
However, Delhi Capitals said that they are yet to finalise how many net bowlers they would need there when the players will fly next week.
“We haven’t made a decision on how many, but there will be net bowlers travelling with us,” Chief Executive Dheeraj Malhotra also told Reuters.
Even, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals are no different, according to local media reports.
However, Rajasthan will go without fielding coach Dishant Yagnik, who has recently tested positive for COVID-19. Notably, he can only re-join the team when his next five results will come negative — two in India and three in the UAE.
