It has been decided that the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) is to commence without spectators behind closed doors and it has broken many Indian hearts. The game of cricket is not the same with and without the crowd chants. The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed that there will be no opening ceremony either before the opening match.
It might be due to two reasons. As the world is still in the hold of COVID-19 and as there will be no masses, no tickets have been sold hence, leading the board to meet financial crisis.
IPL 2020: No opening ceremony, no cheerleaders
“They (broadcasters) are actually expecting the highest rating of IPL this season because they believe if (people) don’t turn up in the ground, they will be actually watching on their television sets. There is a positive in everything,” Ganguly was quoted as saying during an online lecture as part of the ‘Symbiosis Golden Jubilee Lecture Series’.
Ganguly also added that one might witness the spectators in the second half of the IPL following social distancing and other quarantine rules. He added that no one could enter the ground without being properly tested.
“…because of the COVID and infection, you don’t want people to be too close to each other, but very soon you will see there will be 30 percent people in the ground with social distancing. They are properly tested and allowed to enter the ground. But I think that is going to happen over a period of time,” he added.
The 56 league matches are just a day ahead and will be played in a full swing by 19th September. The opening match will be played between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians at Sheikh Zayad Stadium.
