IPL was originally scheduled to start March 29 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. BCCI tried its best to host the event in India but the rising number of coronavirus cases in the nation left the board with no option but to take the league to UAE.
IPL Governing Council chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed Friday that the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin September 19 with the final November 8. Further, the details of team departures, SOPs for the tournament, dates and timings is expected to be finalised in IPL Governing Council meeting next week.
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan reckoned that there could be no better news than a positive decision on hosting the 13th edition of IPL. Irfan Pathan said that the entire nation was waiting for the IPL since the last four months and now that it has been confirmed everyone will breathe a sigh of relief.
Irfan Pathan said a lot of careers depend on the cash-rich league and added that all the cricketers were also waiting for it as IPL provides the much-needed financial support to them. The Baroda-born also salivated on the aspect of high quality cricket in “world’s best T20 league.”
“We were waiting for IPL for four months, 4 months is a long time but we all were waiting for IPL. Nothing better than this news because so many things depend on that, lot of careers depend on that and lot of financial support depends on IPL and so all the cricketers are waiting. But most importantly the kind of cricket we are going to see, the kind of competition. Nothing gets better than this wonderful league which is one of the best in the world,” Pathan said.
Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir has stated that 2020 IPL in UAE will change the mood of the nation irregardless of which franchise wins the title or which players score runs and take wickets.
The two-time world champion added that 2020 IPL will be bigger than the previous 12 editions because “this one is for the nation”. Gambhir also opined that UAE is a great venue to play any format of cricket.
“Doesn’t matter where it goes but obviously it goes to UAE, it’s a great venue to play any format and plus most importantly it is going to change the mood of the nation. It’s not about which franchise win, which player score runs, which guy takes wicket, it’s just changing the mood of the nation. So, this IPL probably will be bigger than rest of the IPL because I think this if for the nation,” Gambhir, who has himself won the IPL title twice as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) captain, said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.