Reports | Vincy Premier T10 league to kick-off on May 22 post COVID-19 break
Post the two-month-long COVID-19 forced break, Vincy Premier T10 league would be the first cricketing action around the world, starting on May 22. On top of that, the league would also be the first to include all the changes - with no use of saliva on the ball and no cap on spectators.
Nearly two months after all the cricketing action came to a halt, the game is finally set to be back in play with the Vincy Premier T10 league. The 120-ball competition is set to kick off on May 22 in the eastern Caribbean country - St Vincent. It would be the first time since March 15 that a cricketing competition will comprise of some of the major international stars.Â
Some notable names that are set to grace their presence in the tournament are West Indies’ stars Kesrick Williams and Sunil Ambris. A total of three games will be scheduled and played every day, with the tournament comprising of a gross-total of 30 matches.Â
Interestingly, Kishore Shallow, who is the president of St Vincent and the Grenadines Cricket Association (SVGA) also serves as the vice president at Cricket West Indies. He talked about how they are still awaiting the final confirmation from the cricketing board before cricket can resume.Â
"We have formally written to CWI. And I expect to get a positive response from them soon," Shallow told ESPNcricinfo.
"We came up with this T10 franchise format because of the absence of sports content at this point, and thought that this brand of cricket would be enticing to cricket fans across the globe in a short duration," Shallow added.Â
However, cricket is not to set to be the same after its resumption, with a ban on the use of saliva for shining the ball. Additionally, spectators will be asked to practise social distancing and other safety measures during the encounter.Â
"What we have been doing is managing the risk. So what we plan to do during the tournament is ask spectators to practise social and physical distancing. So they will be sitting at least a few seats apart. And because of the time the matches are taking place, we do not anticipate a massive crowd at the matches," he concluded.