Delhi Capitals batsman Prithvi Shaw is hoping to make the most out of the training sessions before the Indian Premier League begins in the United Arab Emirates from September 19.
The Delhi Capitals squad led by their captain Shreyas Iyer left for the UAE from Mumbai on Thursday. The franchise said that the squad and support staff members reached Mumbai in batches before leaving for the UAE.
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“We know people have a lot of expectations from us, but our focus will be on making the most of the training sessions we get in the UAE, and re-creating that fantastic team environment which made us so successful last year. We also have the chance to gel with the new players and then set our sights on the IPL season,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Shaw as saying.
Shaw also believes that the upcoming edition of the IPL will be one of the toughest tournaments. Apart from playing the tournament in a foreign country, the number health protocols that players will have adhere to due to the pandemic situation will also be a challenging factor.
“There is no doubt that it will be a challenging trip for everyone involved. But like everyone else, I’ve spent these last few months focusing on my physical and mental health, and taking care of my family,” Shaw said.
“So the time I’ve managed to spend with them has put me in a positive frame of mind. However, this IPL will be a very different experience for all of us, and we need to make sure that we are all very positive when we hit the ground running. The key is to take one step at a time,” he added.
The 2020 season of the IPL will be played for 53 days across three venues in the UAE — Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.
The final match will be played on a Tuesday, to make it the first-ever IPL to have its final on a weekday. The matches this season will also start 30 minutes before their original time of 4 PM and 8 PM.
