NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has indefinitely postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after several players and support staff tested positive for COVID-19.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday in an advisory said the Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and BCCI in an emergency meeting unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season, with immediate effect.
The board said, “The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organizing the IPL. This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and wellbeing of all the stakeholders in mind,” it added.
UPDATE: The Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season with immediate effect.
Details – https://t.co/OgYXPj9FQy pic.twitter.com/lYmjBId8gL
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2021
“These are difficult times, especially in India and while we have tried to bring in some positivity and cheer, however, it is imperative that the tournament is now suspended and everyone goes back to their families and loved ones in these trying times,” the statement read.
The decision comes close on the heels of Monday’s IPL 2021 match between the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad being rescheduled after the Knight Riders’ spinner Varun Chakravarthy and seam bowler Sandeep Warrier tested positive for Covid-19.
According to IPL Governing Council members, the decision was taken after Amit Mishra and Wriddhiman Saha too tested positive on Tuesday. Multiple BCCI officials and the franchises too confirmed the development. “After much deliberation, it was decided that the tournament had to be suspended for now,” a BCCI official said.
On Monday, two members of the Chennai Super Kings’ IPL contingent too – bowling coach L Balaji, and a bus cleaner – had tested positive for Covid-19. CEO Kasi Viswanathan’s second report came negative in the evening. However, Balaji and the team driver continued to be positive.
The IPL match was called off just hours before its start in Ahmedabad today (Monday) after Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier became infected. The positive cases come as India’s massive coronavirus surge raises questions about the IPL.
According to a statement, “The players have isolated themselves from the rest of the squad after testing positive,” adding, “All other team members have tested negative for COVID-19.”
The IPL said its doctors were in “continuous touch” with 29-year-old spinner Chakravarthy, and 30-year-old fast bowler Warrier, and were monitoring their health. Some media reports claimed the pair may have been infected when they left their team hotel for injury check-ups.
“The medical team is also determining the close and casual contacts of the two positive cases during the 48 hours prior to collection of the sample that returned the positive test results,” said the statement.
All IPL games so far have been held behind closed doors, but after three Australian players left the tournament last week, organisers sought to reassure the remaining foreign stars that they are “totally safe”.
Hospitals in India continued to send distress messages for emergency oxygen supplies as the country’s coronavirus case count crossed 20 million on Tuesday.
India reported 3,57,229 new infections over the previous 24 hours, taking the number of people who have suffered an infection so far to 19.93 million, government data showed, the second-highest in the world.
The death toll increased to 2, 22,408 with 3,449 new fatalities, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
The total tally of COVID-19 cases in the country has climbed to 2, 02,82,833. Registering a steady increase, the active cases have increased to34, 47,133 comprising 17 percent of the total infections.
