After InsideSport reported that England & Australian cricketers will be late by a week for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) 13th edition in UAE, now we have reliably learnt that the Sri Lankan duo of Lasith Malinga & Isuru Udana will also be late for the event by minimum 7-8 days.
Mumbai Indians pace veteran Malinga and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s new comer Isuru Udana, both are scheduled to play the Lankan Premier League (LPL) starting from Aug28th. Though their are still few question marks on the tournament, but according to the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), no Lankan player will be allowed to leave the tournament mid-way for IPL 2020 or any other tournament.
LPL’s finals is scheduled for 20th September, 1 day post the start of IPL 2020. Both Malinga and Udana also would need to quarantine themselves 72 hours after reaching UAE. All this will peg them back by minimum 7-8 days before they join their respective squads.
Malinga has been very important member of MI squad over the years with 177 scalps in 122 games. Despite of his waning skills, he is still considered as important cog in the wheel for the Mumbai team.
On the other hand Udana is a newcomer to the IPL and RCB fold and Virat Kohli’s team picked him up for his uncanny action and brilliant skill to change pace of the ball at his will.
IPL 2020 : After England, Australian cricketers, now Sri Lankans also will be late for IPL 2020
Along with the Lankan due, the England & Australian top cricketers are also expected to reach late for IPL 2020. The Australian cricket team’s tour to England will carry on till 16th September. The scheduling will make it ‘unlikely’ for the England & Australian cricketers to play for their respective franchises in the first week of IPL 2020.
The 3rd and the last ODI of the England & Australia series is getting scheduled for 16th Sep at Old Trafford. It is being planned that players from both the teams participating in the IPL 2020 will fly from London to Dubai either on the same day or the very next day.
Once they reach UAE, as per the local government directives they will have to undergo Covid19 test. Only if they test negative, the players will be allowed to move out from the isolation zone of the UAE government. This process will take 48-72 hours. Post that players and the franchises will have to follow the SOP’S set by the BCCI and IPL 2020. This entire process will take 7-10 days before the England & Australian cricketers are allowed to join their respective franchises to participate in the IPL 2020.
This means they surely will miss out on the first week of IPL 2020.
IPL 2020 : How will South African cricketers reach in time for IPL 2020 ?
Cricket South Africa has given go ahead to its cricketers to play in IPL 2020. But despite that 10 cricketers from South Africa including AB de Villiers (RCB), Quinton De Kock (MI) stands doubtful for IPL 2020.
Reason – due to Covid19, currently South Africa is under strict lockdown and no international take-offs are allowed since the last few months. As the Coronavirus cases are constantly growing in the African nation, no one knows when the flight operations can start. Already the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), starting August 18, is faced with a few tricky issues on this account. With South African borders closed, there is no way the Proteas cricketers – Imran Tahir, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Rilee Rossouw, Anrich Nortje and Colin Ingram, can reach Caribbean.
Under the circumstances, participation of the South African cricketers will only be dependent on the resumption of the flights or on some special arrangements by the BCCI or the IPL franchises.
“Cricket South Africa will definitely provide players with the NOCs for the Indian Premier League, but logistics are not something in our hands”, said CSA’s media manager Koketso Gaofetoge
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