Anybody with mildest of concerns will not take the flight to UAE, reveals BCCI official

The BCCI had done it in 2009 and successfully staged the second edition of the IPL in South Africa. The general election in 2014 had also ensured that 20 matches were shifted to the UAE, but the challenges that the Coronavirus pandemic has posed to everyone in the 2020 edition is too big to ignore. Even though the board has already decided to move the league to the Emirates and will keep the players in a bio-secure bubble, the logistical challenges have kept everyone on their toes. 

"Of that, around 200 are just cricketers and that many more in terms of support staff, team management, executives handling franchise logistics and operations etc. So, let's say around 400-500 of them. As of now, the players are spread out in different parts of the country and the world. How to bring them all together to one location and make them fly? These are plans that need to be thoroughly worked out," a BCCI official told Times of India.

"No sport anywhere in the world has ever shifted an entire tournament out of the country at the last minute. Indian cricket accomplished it in 2009. Now, add a pandemic to that exercise and see how big that responsibility becomes."

Considering several parts of the nation are still under lockdown, the congregation in one place would be a difficult proposition. To add to that, the geographic vastness of India would be an issue to pick players on a chartered flight before flying to the middle-east. There are chances of catching the virus if players have to fly to a particular place before taking the flight to the UAE but the BCCI is taking lessons from the ECB and will adhere to the strict protocols regarding any player or support staff or logistical people showing mild symptoms.

"The ECB did a fabulous job in pulling off the series (vs West Indies). There are lessons to take from that. IPL's biggest responsibility will be to put a well-panned bio-secure bubble in place, of course with the help of authorities in UAE. In that lies the success of IPL's 13th edition. The winner of this year's league has to be the way in which it is conducted," sources said.

“Anybody with the mildest of concerns will not take the flight. Upon landing, the next 72 hours will be spent in complete isolation and settling down. Then it will be for the UAE authorities and government's policies to guide us on further procedures."