A bummer for two IPL teams this week as they don’t start training for another week.
Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are two teams who are based in Abu Dhabi whereas all the other teams are residing in Dubai.
After completing a seven-day mandatory quarantine, all the teams are set to begin outdoor training as a team. While all the teams start training, MI and KKR will go through another week of quarantine due to the local restrictions. Due to the COVID-19 crisis in Abu Dhabi, the local authorities have put in place a compulsory 14-day quarantine before anyone can move out.
KKR was the first team to reach UAE on 20th August followed by MI on 21st August respectively.
All the other 6 teams in Dubai have started reaching ICC academy for practice sessions while Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Kartik’s team stay indoor for another week. The BCCI has been requested to intervene as the sides were told about a 7-day quarantine and not about the local 14-day rule said a member of the support staff with MI.
The different rules in two emirates have also been an issue for the BCCI who are yet to finalise the schedule for the event. The IPL is I 20 days and the reason for the schedule delay is same i.e. different protocols.
There are strict travel restrictions between the two cities. One has to go through a mandatory rapid test and can only cross the border after testing negative. Such strict rules cannot work for the teams on a match-day.
The BCCI is in talks with the Emirates Cricket Board to divide the IPL into two legs to maintain the protocols and not hamper the league. The decision will be made in the next 48 hours as IPL GC Chairman Brijesh Patel and Hemang Amin is due to meet various officials in UAE government