New Delhi: The Tokyo Olympics fever is going down a little bit now. With three days of felicitation ceremonies at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, followed by a breakfast at the Prime Minister’s residence on Monday morning, the frenzy seems to be dying down as athletes head home.
The focus is set to return to cricket with the countdown for the remaining part of the Indian Premier League that was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With IPL matches set to start next month, teams have begun flying out to the United Arab Emirates for the remainder of the T20 league.
IPL 2021 was postponed halfway through the season due to Covid-19 cases inside the bio-secure bubble earlier this year. With the action set to explode again, franchises are creating momentum for their teams by unleashing social media campaigns by sharing their travel plans. Fans are beginning to take notice of this activity.
Mumbai Indians posted on Twitter mentioning, “Rahul Chahar’s arrival in UAE”. Even all-rounder Hardik Padnya is seen enjoying the beauty of UAE. He also shared pictures on Instagram sitting behind a huge dining table. The all-rounder posted, “Best food and best vibes. @gudeepizzacafe.”
Earlier, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) took to Twitter to share pictures of their stars at the Chennai airport. “Get ready folks,” CSK captioned a picture of their captain MS Dhoni. CSK were second on the IPL 2021 points table before the league was postponed after a few players from CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders tested positive for coronavirus.
It is also learnt that India’s middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer has also reached Dubai. Iyer, who led the Delhi Capitals to the title clash in the 2020 season, is making a comeback after nearly five months of intense rehabilitation. He had undergone shoulder surgery on April 8 after a horrific on-field injury during an ODI in Pune.
Meanwhile, Sharjah Cricket Stadium is gearing up to host the phase two. The stadium administrators have announced that Sharjah will have new upgrades ahead of the IPL 2021. New pitches, Fit Capital gymnasium, indoor swimming pool, steam and sauna area will be built in the Stadium. Sharjah is scheduled to host 10 IPL matches.