IPL

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is caught on a tricky pitch. With at least two players namely, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and seam bowler Sandeep Warrier of the Kolkata Knight Riders tested positive for COVID-19, the match between Kolkata and Royal Challengers Bangalore scheduled to happen later today has been postponed as an immediate measure. But what happens to the tournament moving forward? A look at the KKR's fixtures reveal that they last played the Delhi Capitals on Thursday and the Rishabh Pant-led side in turn were up against the Punjab Kings in one of Sunday's double-header. This suggests that the members of the three teams cannot take the field for the next few days.

What do the guidelines say?

As per the IPL guidelines, "close contact" of an" affected person" has to isolate for "six days" and return "3 negative tests on day 1, 3 and 6. This suggests that either of KKR and DC or PBKS cannot play a game until each of their members return the mandatory negative tests. In effect, this will mean no matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad for the next 3-4 days - since that was the venue where the teams were scheduled to play their matches.

Only the Delhi leg of IPL 2021 likely to go ahead as of now

Thus, only the Delhi leg of IPL 2021 is likely to go ahead as of now. With matches in Ahmedabad looking like a bleak possibility as of now, they could likely be squeezed in as a day fixture if the logistical requirements make it possible. Surely, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL organising committee have a task on their hands for the successful completion of the tournament now given that they decide to go ahead with it amid criticism and apprehension from a few experts.