- There is no denying the fact that the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament always was in danger of getting affected by the unprecedented surge of the second covid wave sweeping the country. The 14th edition of the cash-rich league came this far amidst a plethora of mounting challenges in itself is a big surprise. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL General Council had made adequate preparations to ensure the most popular cricket league traverses along without any impediments. Alas! The unwavering pandemic has breached the seemingly impenetrable biosafety bubble of the few franchisees rendering the continuation of the tournament impractical and untenable.
PC:
- As part of its preparations, the BCCI had restricted the venues to six metropolitan cities viz. Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Pune, and Bengaluru. Though Mumbai and Chennai did fare without any hitch amid surging infection cases, especially Mumbai which went into Janata Curfew in the middle of the tournament, other venues could not stop the virulent virus from breaching when the matches shifted. Of course, there were reports of players, officials, coaching staff, and other associated staff raising concerns about the practicality of maintaining a foolproof bubble. Few of the players, and coaching staff returning positive did raise doubts about the feasibility of continuing with the present arrangements.
- And then came the midway withdrawal of star players, including mercurial Ravichandran Ashwin, umpires, and commentators citing personal reasons. The last nail on the coffin was probably a slew of players returning positive results finally turning the opinion decisively against the continuity by placing the lives of players at enormous risks. Left with no choice, the Board has announced an indefinite suspension of the most popular cricket league citing the safety and health of players and others associated with the game as of paramount importance. The Board mandarins have to ensure all foreign players and officials reach their homes safely overcoming the travel restrictions imposed by many countries, including the UK and Australia.
PC: Sam Morshead
- What does this decision entail for the die-hard cricket fans and followers who were gleefully indulging with the only real-time entertainment medium where most of the usual mediums like movie theatres, travel, dining out, etc. are closed or non-functional owing to pandemic induced restrictions? Yes, millions of enthusiasts are bound to feel disappointed as the shortest format of cricket offered a great diversion from the sickeningly morbid tales of the pandemic playing out relentlessly across the country creating an extremely negative narrative over the past few weeks.
- With that option prematurely plucked out, the cricket crazy fans would be feeling a palpable void come evening every day. Make no mistake, the league so far had produced some scintillating performances and promised many more of the same in the coming days. Of course, players’ well-being cannot be compromised and hence, the cricket-loving fans would accept the fact with a resigned outlook. There is an indisputable reality that the virus will affect every economic activity and it is incumbent on the part of each one of us to ensure the menace is tamed sooner than later.
