THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q WEDNESDAY Q MAY 05, 2021 11

After IPL postponement, T20 Badminton great Padukone World Cup set for UAE shift NEW DELHI, MAY "It was going well but the recovering from COVID-19 04: This year's T20 World bio bubble has now become NEW DELHI, MAY Cup is set to be moved from porous. What's the guaran- 04: Legendary Indian bad- India to the UAE with the tee it won't happen again in minton player Prakash BCCI acknowledging that October-November. Na- Padukone has tested posi- none of the participating tions like Australia, England tive for COVID-19 and is re- teams would be 'comfort- and New Zealand are al- covering from the infection able' coming back to the most certain to have travel at a hospital in Bengaluru. country because a third advisories in place," he ar- The 65-year-old, who is wave of COVID-19 cases is gued. the first Indian to win the expected at the time of the One of the biggest reasons prestigious All England event. for conducting the tourna- Championships title in While a final decision will ment in the UAE is that it 1980, is likely to be dis- be taken in a month's time can be kept to three grounds charged later this week. but it is understood that -- Sharjah, Dubai and Abu "Around 10 days back, even the BCCI is jittery Dhabi -- and there is no air Prakash, his wife (Ujjala) about holding the 16-team travel. and second daughter (An- tournament in October-No- "Look six venues for IPL isha), they developed symp- vember after the ongoing was always a dangerous toms and got themselves IPL had to be suspended proposition when they suc- tested and the results came because of multiple COVID- cessfully managed with out to be positive," Vimal 19 cases inside the bio-bub- three during the last edi- Kumar, a close friend of the ble. tion," the source said. legendary shuttler and di- PTI has learnt BCCI offi- "In UAE, all of them were rector at the Prakash cials have had very recent So while BCCI will remain within next six months un- in one bubble from start to Padukone Badminton and daughter are at home Padukone was also the the Denmark Open, All discussions with some of the hosts, the tournament less the situation comes to finish while here each team Academy (PPBA), said. and he too will be hopefully first Indian to win a medal England Championships the top decision-makers in will probably shift to the normalcy. The players and was travelling to three bub- "They got themselves iso- discharged in 2-3 days," he at the World Champi- and Swedish Open. the central government and UAE," he added. their families would be very bles. Most of the positive lated but after a week added. onships after clinching a Following his retirement a shift to the UAE has been Health experts have wary to travel if they are in cases emerged after bubble Prakash's fever didn't come One the most revered fig- bronze in the 1983 edition. in 1991, Padukone served as more or less agreed upon. warned of a third wave in the middle of another surge. travel. down, so last Saturday, he ures in world badminton, He was also the first In- the chairman of Badminton The dates of the marquee India in September, a view "So expect BCCI to agree "Therefore even if you re- was admitted to a hospital Padukone had emerged as a dian to be ranked world Association of India (BAI). competition, which was that has been shared by Ma- with shift of tournament to duce the number of venues here in Bengaluru. role model of Indian sports number one after achieving He was also the coach of the planned across nine venues, harashtra health minister UAE," another source also from 9 to 5 in October, still "He is okay now. All his during his playing days in the feat in 1980 following Indian team from 1993 to have not yet been finalised. Rajesh Tope. chipped in. there will be air travel unlike parameters are fine, his wife the 1970s and 1980s. back-to-back title wins at 1996. "The suspension of IPL The dire situation in In- He said IPL's suspension UAE. Also for players, they within four weeks is an in- dia, where a daily addition after a string of positive would not be mentally in a dicator that it's not really of over 3 lakh new cases has cases has made the Board space to play in India unless safe to host a global event of continued for the past many very jittery of taking any the situation drastically im- IPL suspended indefinitely after that magnitude at a time days, has shaken most of the more risks. proves," he added. when the country is fighting member boards and the ICC "The IPL in India was a There is an ICC meeting its worst health crisis in last is unlikely to take a risk with platform to prove to the in June where a final deci- 70 years," a senior BCCI safety of international world as well as participat- sion will be taken but re- multiple cases in bio-bubble source said. teams. ing nations that it is safe to taining the tournament in NEW DELHI, MAY available window but this "There is a chance of a "You can be rest assured host a tournament even India after cancellation of 04: The Indian Premier month is unlikely," Patel third wave hitting the In- that most of the top nations when the second wave is hit- IPL seems far-fetched at League was on Tuesday told PTI. dian shores in November. wouldn't like to tour India ting its peak. this point. suspended indefinitely af- The 14th edition of IPL, ter multiple COVID-19 which started on April 9, cases were reported in its ran smoothly for about a bio-bubble, the Board of month before KKR's Bombay HC to hear PIL Control for Cricket in India COVID-19 cases caused confirmed. the initial jitters on Mon- The announcement came day. seeking cancelling of IPL 2021 after Sunrisers Hyderabad's There was cause of con- wicketkeeper-batsman cern in Delhi too as a few NEW DELHI, MAY mipathy Balaji tested pos- Wriddhiman Saha tested groundsmen at the Feroz 04: The Bombay High itive. positive for COVID-19 Shah Kotla Stadium tested along with Delhi Capitals' Court will hear, on Thurs- India is currently record- positive even though spinner veteran spinner day, the PIL seeking direc- ing over 3 lakh cases every- DDCA chief Rohan Jaitley Amit Mishra. tion to Board of Control for day and more than 3,000 asserted that "none of the Cricket in India to cancel or daily deaths. "The Governing Council groundsmen on duty" postpone IPL 2021 due to The BCCI continued to were among the infected. the current COVID-19 situ- insist that the league will go (IPL GC) and Board of Con- trol for Cricket in India Just days before this, ation in the country. on but Monday's develop- three Australian players IPL's bio-bubble was ments have definitely cast (BCCI) in an emergency had pulled out of the breached on Monday with a shadow on how the meeting has unanimously said in a media release. ones in these trying times. league, citing COVID-19 two players testing positive COVD-19 threat would be decided to postpone IPL The Board said they will The BCCI will do every- concerns amid a devastat- for COVID-19. managed for an event being 2021 season, with immedi- arrange for the safe return thing in its powers to ' staged across six venues. ate effect. for all the overseas players, arrange for the secure and ing second wave of the and The Board is looking to The BCCI does not want who were part of IPL 2021. safe passage of all the par- global pandemic that has Sandeep Warrier tested move base to to compromise on the "These are difficult ticipants in IPL 2021." overwhelmed the medical positive for the dreaded keeping in mind the safety of the players, sup- times, especially in India IPL chairman Brijesh infrastructure of the coun- virus, forcing postpone- COVID-19 situation in port staff and the other and while we have tried to Patel said they will look to try. ment of their game against Kolkata and Bengaluru, participants involved in bring in some positivity hold the T20 league in the The 2020 IPL had also Royal Challengers Banga- where the next set of organising the IPL. This and cheer, however, it is next available window. been held in a bio-secure lore on Monday. The Super Kings and Rajasthan also been postponed after matches are scheduled to be decision was taken keep- imperative that the tour- "The tournament has bubble in the UAE and at match between Chennai Royals on Wednesday has CSK coach Laksh- played. ing the safety, health and nament is now suspended been suspended indefi- that time, infections were wellbeing of all the stake- and everyone goes back to nitely. We will try to con- only reported before the 'Australian cricketers still want holders in mind," the BCCI their families and loved duct the event in the next start of the tournament. Sunrisers' Saha tests positive for COVID-19 to fulfil their IPL commitments' NEW DELHI, MAY 04: Sunrisers Hyderabad's NEW DELHI, MAY cases come out in the IPL. wicketkeeper-batsman 04: The majority of the "You have to be a realist Wriddhiman Saha was the Australian cricketers cur- to understand once it latest to test positive for rently in the IPL want to breaks into one of these COVID-19 as cases contin- fulfil their commitments bubbles that we may see ued to rise in the T20 with their respective fran- more, but let's hope we league's bio-bubble. chises even after the tour- don't. We're keeping a close The entire SRH squad nament's bio-bubble was eye on it," he said. has gone into isolation after breached with two players "I think the BCCI have Saha's positive result. testing positive for COVID- done a really good job, "He had fever and had 19, the head of the Aus- quickly, to try and isolate as been in isolation for the tralian Cricketers' Associa- best they can, but we've past five days. We are also tion (ACA) said on seen more cases reported being asked to stay in the Tuesday. in the last two weeks glob- room," a source told PTI. Kolkata Knight Riders' Todd Greenberg said the tournament finished, but ally for COVID than the last Following Saha's positive Varun Chakravarthy and players of his country have they also clearly want to six months, so clearly on test, the BCCI decided to Sandeep Warrier tested no plans to leave the IPL as come home at the end, and the other side of the world suspend indefinitely the positive for the dreaded they have gone to India that's where the concern there's some real con- rest of IPL 2021. virus, forcing postpone- with their "eyes wide comes, because there's just cerns."Three Australian IPL's bio-bubble was ment of their game against open."He, however, said not a definitive plan on how players have already re- breached on Monday with Royal Challengers Banga- "concern" is growing over that's going to happen at turned home, while com- two players testing positive lore on Monday. The match plans to get them home at the moment."Greenberg mentator Michael Slater is for COVID-19. between Chennai Super the end of the tournament. said Australian players in now in the Maldives, un- Kolkata Knight Riders' Kings and Rajasthan Roy- "I think the majority are the KKR squad, Pat Cum- able to return to his coun- Varun Chakravarthy and als on Wednesday has also prepared to fulfil their mins and are try after the suspension of Sandeep Warrier tested been postponed after CSK commitments, they went in doing "fine" and "relatively flights from India until at positive for the dreaded lore on Monday. The Wednesday has also been India is currently record- bowling coach Lakshmipa- with their eyes wide open," safe" while under quaran- least May 15 because of the virus, forcing postpone- match between Chennai postponed after CSK bowl- ing over 3 lakh cases every- thy Balaji tested positive. he said on Radio 2GB. tine.He said he is hoping no massive COVID-19 surge ment of their game against Super Kings and Ra- ing coach Lakshmipathy day and more than 3,000 But ACA chief executive "They do want to see the more COVID-19 positive there. Royal Challengers Banga- jasthan Royals on Balaji tested positive. daily deaths.