IPL franchises bank on WhatsApp groups to debunk tournament rumours for players: Report

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic forced the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to postpone the much-anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) season until further notice. As the threat of the contagious disease looms on, the fate of the tournament continues to hang in balance with rumours indicating IPL 2020 is likely to face an overall cancellation this year. With the factor of uncertainty in the minds of the players regarding their immediate participation, several IPL franchises have reportedly resorted to WhatsApp groups as their mode of communication with the cricketers.

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IPL cancelled? WhatsApp comes to the rescue

An official of one of the IPL franchises recently told a leading website that both Indian and overseas cricketers have been continuously looking for answers. The official also said that numerous theories circulating in media about the IPL 2020 postponed news have not been of any help and it was best to create a WhatsApp group with all members to clear any confusion. Another franchise official backed the use of WhatsApp groups as a perfect mean of communication to debunk or confirm any ‘IPL 2020 postponed or IPL cancelled’ news. The official added that it is better to get the real picture from the franchise and governing body itself instead of getting “half-baked information” from the outside.

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IPL 2020 postponed: Coronavirus causes India lockdown

IPL 2020 was initially scheduled to commence on March 29 with a match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and runners-up Chennai Super Kings. However, the threat of coronavirus induced a pan-India lockdown till April 14 on orders of the Indian government.

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BCCI considering new dates for IPL 2020

The IPL 2020 was dubbed by many as a perfect preparation campaign for the upcoming T20 World Cup in Australia. While the T20 World Cup was scheduled to be played in Australia between October 18 and November 15, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to postpone the event if the coronavirus crisis continues to impact its cricketing schedule. According to recent reports, the BCCI is currently looking for an October-November window for IPL 2020 should the T20 World Cup gets postponed by the ICC.  

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