Picture Credit: Twitter
With less than a week to go for the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL), as many as eight groundsmen at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. The development comes as a serious setback and concern for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the stadium is set to host as many as 10 matches in this edition of the tournament. These matches will be held between April 10- April 25.
With IPL 2021 scheduled to get underway on April 9, it remains to be seen how the BCCI deals with this situation. Notably, while the previous edition of the cash-rich league was played in UAE, IPL 2021 was decided to be conducted in India even as the number of Coronavirus cases continue to rise. As per latest reports, there are over 6 lakh active cases of COVID-19 in India.
BCCI may be forced to shift matches from Mumbai
Mumbai is currently the worst hit city in the country with over 8 thousand new cases reported as on Friday. In the given situation, the Board may be forced to change the venue to another city where the cases are comparatively low. Although the groundsmen can be roped in from other stadiums, the board may not want to risk the health and safety of the cricketers and the support staff.
A total of 60 matches are scheduled to be played in the tournament with the final set to happen on Sunday, May 30, at the newly revamped Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.