The IPL 2020, which was scheduled to be played from March 29, has been suspended till April 15 with no clarity yet on whether it would go ahead at all.
(Photo: Twitter/@ICC)
The world might be in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, former India pacer Ashish Nehra believes that there is a possibility of the IPL 2020 taking place if things return to normal by October.
It is to note that the 13th edition of the cash-rich league, which was slated to commence on March 29, has been suspended till April 15 with no clarity yet on whether it would go ahead at all.
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“Even if the IPL doesn’t happen in August, (because) there are a lot of places in India that witness rains during that month and there are high chances that lots of matches will get cancelled,” Nehra told on Star Sports 1 Hindi show ‘Cricket Connected’ as quoted by PTI.
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“If things go back to normal around the world by October, we’ll have a 100 per cent clearance,” he reckoned.
However, the consistent rise in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths across the world suggest that IPL is most likely to get cancelled.
COVID-19 has claimed nearly 150 Indian lives apart from causing more than 80,000 global deaths which has forced the cancellation or postponement of several mega sports events.
However, the cricket players across the globe have made it clear that they would love to have an IPL this year even if not right away.
“Plenty going on in the world at present, but hopefully we can get an IPL at some stage,” Rajasthan Royals skipper Steve Smith has said. Meanwhile, his teammate Jos Buttler believes it is a “big shame” that the lucrative T20 tournament cannot be held at the moment due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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