Published 12:06 IST, March 19th 2020
David Warner'a agent confirms SRH captain will play IPL 2020 if tournament is held: Report
David Warner is fully intending on taking part in IPL 2020 if it happens. The Australian southpaw was earlier re-instated as the captain of the SRH team.
Only two weeks ago, fans were engaging in online banter as they tried to predict which team would lift the prestigious trophy of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, in a matter of days, the coronavirus pandemic has swept over the globe and impacted thousands of lives while creating an eerie uncertainty about the future. The IPL, too, has not been immune to this threat and currently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has the IPL postponed to a date beyond April 15, at least.
IPL Postponed: What happens to Australian players?
Earlier, reports had emerged of David Warner's visa to India being rejected but many reports maintained that this happened for a reason that was not related to the coronavirus pandemic. With the current stage of the virus' spread, the Australian government has imposed a level four travel ban which will not let Australians leave their borders. Cricket Australia (CA) has also advised its players to keep in mind the risks that are involved with international travel at the moment. This, however, does not seem to be stopping David Warner who intends on playing IPL 2020 if it ends up happening.
IPL Postponed: Will David Warner partake in IPL 2020?
According to a report by The Age, David Warner's manager has confirmed to the news outlet that the star is aiming to go to India if the IPL happens. However, there is a slight chance that Warner's decision may change due to a drastic change in the situation. The Australian players are not banned to play in the IPL by Cricket Australia but have been advised against it as they will have to take care of their hygiene in India and will have to place themselves under mandatory quarantine on returning back to Australia.
Australian players like David Warner, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith have massive deals with their franchises and will remain important to the plans of their franchises. The players are also at risk of financial losses as the Australian Cricketers' Association has already informed them about possible pay-cuts due to the detrimental financial impact of COVID-19.
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If the IPL takes place, David Warner will lead the SRH team 2020 after he was reinstated as the skipper of the franchise, earlier this year. Warner captained the team till 2017 and led the team to its maiden IPL title in 2016. Warner has been one of the IPL's most prolific run-scorers with 4,706 runs.
Updated 12:06 IST, March 19th 2020