IPL from Sunday: Strict bio-bubble to avoid COVID-19
KATHMANDU: SEPT. 17 – The second phase of the Indian Premier League Cricket (IPL) is starting on Sunday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has imposed strict rules to protect the tournament from the COVID-19.
During the league, VPS Healthcare of UAE has been made a partner for services like emergency health care, sports medicine service, specialist teleconsultation, doctor on call, ambulance, air ambulance.
A 100-member medical task force has been formed for the management of medicine and COVID-19 which will be ready to help players at any time. Two medical teams will be available on the field for each game. There will be doctors, nurses, paramedics and lab technicians.
Test every three days
In the second phase, there will be fewer games, but there will be more coveted tests. More than 750 staff at 14 hotels in Abu Dhabi have undergone COVID-19 tests before the players arrive in the UAE. Despite the new COVID-19 protocol, all players and officials will be tested every third day.
There will be 30,000 COVID-19 tests during the competition. In addition, nurses and medical staff will be kept in the designated 14 hotels until the end of the league for safe bio-bubble. These 14 hotels will be closed to anyone other than those related to the IPL.
Spectators returning to the IPL
The BCCI has stated that spectators will be allowed on the field in the second phase. The spectators are preparing to enter the field amidst strict COVID-19 protocol. The BCCI has stated that a limited number of cities will be provided for the games in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi as per the Covid Protocol and the rules of the UAE government.
After 2019, spectators will be on the field in IPL. In the last edition, all the matches were played in UAE as there was no competition in India due to COVID-19. This time too, as the IPL continues in India, the UAE has been selected for the second phase after the COVID-19 epidemic escalated. After playing 29 games in India, the game was stopped. The remaining 31 games will now be played in the UAE.
According to the BCCI, ticket sales will start from today (Friday). Ticket booking has to be done by visiting the official website of IPL.
All IPL matches will be played in Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. In the first match of the second phase, five-time champions Mumbai Indians will play another contender Chennai Super Kings.
