Wankhede Stadium Picture Credit: Twitter/Mumbai Indians
COVID-19 pandemic has affected every aspect of lives drastically and cricket remains no exception. Following the rise of cases in Maharashtra capital - Mumbai, the residents are now demanding relocation of matches. The appeal comes from the citizens of Marine Drive area that is located near Wankhede Stadium. Notably, the people in the area have written a letter to state's Chief Minister, demanding relocation of games to another non-residential area.
Citizens' letter to Udhav Thackeray
The citizens have even taken to Twitter to circulate their letter more and gain more public support. Here is a copy of the official letter -
@CMOMaharashtra pic.twitter.com/L0i4HxClCk
— ASHIT SHROFF (@ashroff17) April 2, 2021
Main concern raised by citizens is that while the state has banned all religious ceremonies and other personal occasions, games are not being questioned. Continuing on the theme, residents have raised questions regarding security of the elder citizens as the area is residential. However, the letter further mentions that the aim of citizens is not to boycott the game, but to relocate. One of the recommended locations is DY Patil Stadium, due to it being away from non-residential areas, keeping things safe for everyone.
IPL matches won't shift to DY Patil Stadium if they don't happen at Wankhede, clarifies MCA
Meanwhile, Mumbai Cricket Association has reportedly cleared that the 2021 IPL games that are slated to be played at the Wankhede Stadium would not move to DY Patil Stadium even if the international venue is not considered for the upcoming mega event. It will be interesting to see how government tackles this situation, because Wankhede Stadium is set to host 10 matches. And relocating all games might affect the course of tournament drastically.