More than a month after the BCCI announced that the Indian Premier League’s13th edition would be moving to the UAE, the tournament schedule was brought out on Sunday. Defending champions and four-time winners, Mumbai Indians will take on three-time winners Chennai Super Kings on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
The games will be held in the three most popular venues in the UAE - Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The opening match of the league, scheduled for a Saturday, will be followed by the game between Delhi Capitals and Kings XI Punjab in Dubai on Sunday.
The schedule includes a total of 10 double-headers. The evening match will begin at 7.30 pm IST (6 pm UAE) while, on the day a double-header is scheduled, the afternoon game will begin at 3.30 pm IST (2 pm UAE).
The first double-header of this year’s IPL will only be played after the first two weeks of the tournament. The BCCI ensured this taking the present weather conditions in UAE into consideration. The temperatures are expected to get cooler once October sets in.
All seven teams are scheduled to play a game in the first four days of the IPL barring Kolkata Knight Riders, thus making way for CSK to play two matches in the first four days. In that, KKR have benefited immensely because their ‘marquee player’ Pat Cummins will be available for the first game on Sept 23.
English and Australian players, scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi on Sept 16 - post the white-ball series in England - will go into a six-day quarantine after which they can join their respective teams.
Rajasthan Royals will be hit the most as they will be missing out on the services of Steve Smith, Jofra Archer and Tom Curran. All three will miss the first four days of the tournament. Similarly, Sunrisers Hyderabad will miss out on the services of David Warner, Mitch Marsh and Jonny Bairstow in the first four days.
CSK breathe easy
There was a sense of relief in Chennai Super Kings camp when test results of some players and support staff arrived. To everyone’s relief, when the test results arrived, all these members, who are exempted from institutional quarantine, tested negative. However, those who have tested positive and are in institutional quarantine, including players Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad, will only be termed ‘negative’ if their reports after Day 13 and 14 show no signs of the virus.
“Those who are in the team hotel have tested negative and they will undergo another Covid test later. If that report too is negative, they will be allowed to take part in the practice sessions. Meanwhile, South African players Lungi Ngidi and Faf du Plessis arrived in Dubai and were tested on arrival. Their reports are expected.
Covid-positive Chahar, Ruturaj to miss first week’s matches
Paceman Chahar and righthander Ruturaj, who is being seen as Suresh Raina’s replacement for the No. 3 slot, will miss the first couple of CSK matches, even if their tests are negative on Sept 12 and 14. The team management feels it will be too risky to throw them into the deep end within one week of recovering from the virus. Indications are the two players will be allowed a couple of weeks’ time after testing negative to recuperate before taking part in any cricketing action.
Harbhajan postpones trip
Harbhajan Singh, who was expected to reach Dubai on Sept 1, has postponed his visit amid speculation that he may choose to stay away. The CSK management, though, is not giving up on him. “He is an important player and his guile and experience will help us if he chooses to play,” the source added.
