Published 18:01 IST, September 11th 2020
As IPL 2020 nears, Gambhir feels players will not be 'afraid' amid spike in COVID cases
Gautam Gambhir reckons that the players will not be afraid of the coronavirus pandemic during the IPL 2020 that gets underway on September 19
- SportFit
- 2 min read
Former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir believes that the coronavirus pandemic will not impact the performance of the cricketers when they participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE. The former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper also stressed that players must adhere to the guidelines put in place. The IPL 2020 will be played in the UAE this time around and the 13th edition of the cash-rich event will get underway on September 19.
'Just because of one person, the tournament can't be sacrificed': Gautam Gambhir
"I don't think that players will be afraid of it. It is important to be in the bio-secure bubble and follow the guidelines. Just because of one person, the tournament can't be sacrificed. So, it is important to follow the instructions and guidelines," Gambhir told ANI.
"IPL is a kind of tournament where any team can beat another team. The most important thing is how you start the journey. Also, the Indian players haven't played any cricket for the last 6 months so whether they are rusty or not will be known once the tournament starts," the 2011 World Cup winner added.
IPL 2020: Arch-rivals MI & CSK to start the proceedings
The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is nearly two weeks away and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally released the much-awaited IPL schedule on Sunday. Defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener on September 19 at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi. The cricketing carnival will be played across three venues - Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. According to the newly announced IPL time table, Dubai will host 24 games, Abu Dhabi will host 21 games while Sharjah will be hosting 12 games.
The 53-day tournament will witness 10 afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM (IST) while the evening matches will start at 7:30 PM (IST).
Meanwhile, this will also be the first time that an IPL final will be played on a weekday. The tournament decider will be played on November 10 i.e. on the day of Diwali.
Updated 18:50 IST, September 11th 2020