Indian Premier League: Mumbai matches will proceed as per schedule, MCA will confirm secretary

With the lockout over the weekend by the Maharashtra government to curb the COVID-19 spread, fans are sweating whether the matches at the Wankhede Stadium will go ahead or not, but Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Sanjay Naik confirmed that There will be no change in schedule and matches will proceed as planned. Speaking to ANI, Naik confirmed that the matches would indeed proceed as per schedule. “The matches are going on as per schedule,” Naik said.

Earlier on Sunday, sources told the ANI about the developments in the BCCI that since the teams are in a bubble and they will travel in buses which are part of the bubble, and as such it will not be a problem.

“See, not only the teams, but the buses and drivers and everything is inside the bio-safe bubble. Therefore, traveling to the stadium on match days will not be a problem. Regular testing is being done on those working around the teams. According to the source, it was the same as last year in the UAE. There will be no problem in getting the curfew in and out of the stadium.

Wankhede Stadium is set to host 10 IPL games this season from 10-25 April. The first match at the stadium is to be played between Delhi Capital and Chennai Super Kings on 10 April.

Four franchises – Delhi Capital, Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals – have established their base in Mumbai so far.

The fifth franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is also currently based in Mumbai, but they will soon move to Chennai to play their first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 11 April.

The BCCI is also thinking about the vaccination of the players before the IPL along with BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla that the board will approach the health ministry for the vaccination of the players.

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“To cope with this coronovirus increase, I think the only solution is to get vaccinated. The BCCI is also thinking on the lines that players should be vaccinated. No one knows when the coronavirus is about to expire And you can give a time limit. Shukla told ANI that it will not happen until this deadline so that players can play easily.

Asked whether the BCCI has written to the Health Ministry regarding the vaccination of sportspersons, Shukla said that the BCCI is lax on the idea and they would definitely approach the ministry to get the players vaccinated.