Looking at the coronavirus pandemic situation in India, the thirteenth edition of the IPL is scheduled to take place entirely in UAE. While cases are rising at a massive rate in India, the situation is quite steady and in control in UAE. And ECB wants to capitalize on this situation in their country by letting the fans attend and enjoy the matches on grounds. While it will be impossible to create the usual buzzing carnival-like atmosphere in the stands, the ECB would not like it to be a total behind closed doors affair during the pandemic.
‘As hosts, Emirates Cricket Board will work closely with the authorities to seek approval on what protocols need to be followed, this includes fan attendance,’ ECB general secretary Mubashshir Usmani was quoted as saying by sources.
“We will then discuss with the BCCI to assess their spectator requirements. We want our Asian Diaspora, as well as the other ex-pat and Emirati sports-loving fans, to be able to watch the action from the stands, These talks are ongoing, however, we are very encouraged by their expertise and the support to deliver a successful tournament”, he added.
To that end, for the scheduled matches to be successful, the ECB has been coordinating with various governments across the three Emirates – Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah. The Board is in discussions with the Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah Sports Councils, and its tourism bodies also along with the Police, and the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention.
The three venues – Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Dubai International Cricket Stadium, and Sharjah Cricket Stadium – had already set the ball rolling in terms of preparations, back in April itself.
“The Executive teams and the grounds-men at all three stadiums have been working tirelessly on maintaining the grounds even before we presented our proposal to the BCCI. Practice sessions will be planned once the BCCI has announced the final schedule,” he revealed.
The ECB has had previous amazing experiences in hosting world-class cricket events but this lays down a different experience, especially in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Without a doubt, Covid-19 has added another factor to be managed. We are extremely pleased with how the authorities responded to the virus and we continue to see encouraging numbers across the country – in decreasing cases and increasing recoveries. We have confidence in their directives and we will fully support any requirements stipulated by the relevant Health Authorities in regards to Covid-19 safety measures and management,” he said.
