The IPL 2020, which was postponed from it’s original period in April due to the coronavirus pandemic, is all set to be played in September and November. The tournament will be played behind closed doors initially and all players will have to strictly adhere to the BCCI SOP and will have to be secure in the bio-bubble. However, there is some trouble brewing for IPL 2020 as one petition has been filed urging that the tournament does not take place in the United Arab Emirates and instead it should be played in India.
According to several media reports, Abhishek Lagoo, who is an advocate by profession has filed a petition urging that the IPL 2020 should be played in India instead of the UAE. The petition states that holding the IPL in India will provide a great economic boost to the country. The petition argued that the recovery rate in India is increasing and with plenty of relaxations from both state and central governments, the IPL should be held in the country.
Difficult to hold in India
Although the recovery rate in India is increasing, the number of active cases has also increased. In August, India saw over 60,000 cases everyday and in the last couple of days, the number of active cases has been over 55,000. India is currently third in the list behind USA and Brazil for the most number of coronavirus cases in the country. In the UAE, the number of cases is low and they have managed to control the spread of the coronavirus.
Dream11 has won the title sponsorship right for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL). The chairman of the IPL Brijesh Patel confirmed that sponsorship was won by Dream11 for Rs 222 crores to replace outgoing Vivo. The 2020 season of the T20 tournament will be staged from September 19 and the final will be played on November 10, 2020, at three venues (Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah) in the UAE.
The BCCI has even handed over the detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) for the IPL 2020 to the franchises. According to the SOP’s, franchises have been instructed primarily on eight accounts. Last month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Vivo had announced the suspension of their partnership for the 2020 IPL. There has been a huge outcry for boycotting Chinese products after 20 Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel, were killed in the violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in June.
