IPL 2020 News: KXIP co-owner Ness Wadia calls for daily COVID-19 testing during IPL 2020

Ness Wadia calls for daily COVID-19 testing:The KXIP owner is awaiting SOPs from the BCCI with respect to IPL 2020.

The 13th season of the Indian Premier League is all set to begin from September 19 in the UAE. While the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) has made public that the final match will be played in either of November 8 or November 10, expect to release a full schedule in the days to come.

Another significant announcement which the board is likely to make after consulting with the local government is whether spectators would be allowed inside the stadium or not. Despite UAE doing exceeding well in managing COVID-19 cases, there are chances of the tournament being played behind closed doors.

If IPL 2020 is played without spectators, franchises are set to lose out on some money as they usually get a share from the stadium tickets. Speaking to PTI, Kings XI Punjab co-owner Ness Wadia has hoped that the board will compensate the franchise in such a scenario.

“The IPL will bring much needed optimism to the pessimism we live in today. Credit to the BCCI to have a found a window in the current scenario. I do hope that the BCCI will look at compensating all teams [in case there is no gate money involved],” Wadia was quoted as saying by PTI.

Ness Wadia calls for daily COVID-19 testing in IPL 2020

With IPL 2020 set to be played in three stadiums namely Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, Wadia pondered over how bio-security protocols would be followed in an eight-team tournament.

“Bio-security is something that should be very seriously considered but don’t know if it can be implemented in an eight-team tournament. We are waiting for the SOPs from the BCCI.

“UAE also has a very high testing rate and they have all the technology at their disposal. The BCCI will need the help of the local government in ensuring adequate testing is done,” Wadia said.

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Opening up on the testing of players, Wadia expected the players to be tested on a daily basis. All individuals flying from India to UAE will be tested before boarding the flight and again upon landing in UAE.

“I would want as much testing as possible and preferably daily. If I was a cricketer, I would be very happy in getting myself tested everyday. There is no harm in it.

“Strict safety protocols have to be put in place both for off-field and on-field activities to make the IPL safe and successful. They should not be compromised at all,” Wadia added.

The last time when IPL 2020 was played in UAE was in 2014. In what was Punjab’s best season in the last decade, they had finished as the table-toppers (and runner-up) that season.