Did you know that the Indian Premier League (IPL) is the richest cricket league under the sun (as at 2021)? That said, the 2021 season (14th edition) was a different one. The league did not run to completion as planned due to the global emergency situation as a result of the Covid-19. Due to this deadly virus, the league was temporarily suspended in early May to curb the spread of the virus. That said, as a result of this suspension, panic has swept the stakeholders, with most of them fearing that league would not return at all.
The Good News
All IPL teams and fans now have a reason to smile after the announcement that the league will resume on September 19, 2021. The announcement came following a thorough deliberation, which brought together various stakeholders. These included the IPL Governor Council, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), broadcasters and franchises. The stakeholders also agreed that the remainder of the season will take place in the UAE rather than India. A total of 31 remaining matches will be played on Arab soil packed with cricket betting offers.
Monsoon Season
But why the UAE? Well, this doesn't come as a surprise, given that the country also hosted the 13th edition of the league without any significant hiccups. And while the country may not have better cricket pitches than India, the fact remains that it is an excellent alternative. With the remainder of the league set to kick off on September 19, the UAE will be hosting the league the second time in a row.
A significant factor which necessitated the change of venue from India to the UAE is the looming monsoon season in India. This is the rainy season, which lasts from June to September. During the summer monsoon season, constant rain sweeps across India. Heavy downpours are usually the order of the day and these conditions make it difficult for cricket players to do what they do best.
Suspension Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has so far proved to be the pandemic of the century and it is something that most of us never witnessed before. Having hit many countries around the world, India has not escaped the tragedy. And with the country being only second to China in terms of population, you could easily understand how the virus can spread fast here. But that alone would perhaps not have necessitated the suspension of the 14th edition of the league. What drove the final nail into the coffin was the fact that the virus found its way into the IPL players' camps. Some of the players who tested positive for the virus included Varun Chakravarthy, Amit Mishra, and Wriddhiman Saha, among other big names.
Some Foreign Players to Miss the Resumption
It it obvious that some foreign cricket stars will most likely miss the remainder of the tournament following its resumption. For one, the Caribbean Premier league set to begin in the late August. The league will run all the way to September 19, chances are that a number of cricket stars from West India will not be able to participate in the IPL tournament. And, it is also not clear whether players from New Zealand and Australia will be available. But according to Rajeev Shukla, the BCCI's vice president, the fact that some overseas players will not be available will not in any way affect the resumption of the tournament.
