The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is now less than a month away and the teams are preparing to start their training sessions for the tournament. IPL is now one of the biggest events in the cricket world where all the local talents and the foreign stars take part. Players will be coming from different parts of the world and due to the deadly virus named Coronavirus, the IPL management and the cricket boards have to be really careful with their players.
New Zealand Cricket (NCZ) have already informed that they are regularly contacting their six IPL contracted players and giving regular updates on the virus. It has not spread massively in India yet, but 29 positive cases have been reported so far, including 16 Italian tourists. World over, the virus has claimed over 3,000 lives besides infecting more than 90,000 people.
NZC Head of Public Affairs Richard Boock said in a statement: “All New Zealand players, men, and women, are being updated on latest developments, including best practice and preventive measures, as new information comes to hand.”
He also said that the cricket board is in constant touch with the country’s health, foreign affairs, and sports ministry to get regular updates which will ensure health safety for its IPL contracted players.
“NZC is in constant communication with its chief medical officer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Health, and Sport NZ, and is monitoring updates from the World Health Organisation to ensure compliance with best practice,” he added.
The six New Zealand players that will take part in this season are Jimmy Neesham (Kings XI Punjab), Lockie Ferguson (Kolkata Knight Riders), Mitchell McClenaghan, Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians), Mitchell Santner (Chennai Super Kings) and the New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who will play for the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The tournament is set to kick-off on March 29 with two famous teams Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings playing the opening game of the IPL 2020.
The Indian cricket board have confirmed that the tournament will not be rescheduled, but they are likely to come out with travel advisory for foreign as well as national players. It is also most likely that some things will be decreased this season like meeting with the fans and taking autographs and other kinds of stuff. The players will be advised to refrain from public gatherings given prevailing circumstances.
