India to play limited-overs series in Sri Lanka after WTC final – Sourav Ganguly
The 14th edition of the IPL was postponed for an indefinite time in the wake of increasing Covid-19 cases among the players and support staff. Ever since the BCCI has suspended the tournament, talks regarding a potential window for hosting the remaining matches have been doing the rounds.
It was speculated that the Indian Board could finish the tournament in the month of July. Team India is scheduled to play the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in England from June 18 to June 22. After this, they will lock horns against England in a five-match Test series from August 4.
However, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has quashed all such hopes indicating that India will be flying to Sri Lanka for three-match ODI series followed by five T20Is post the WTC final. Ganguly also stressed on the fact that IPL 2021 can’t happen in India as the quarantine is pretty tough to handle.
“India is supposed to go to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and five T20Is. There are lots of organisational hazards like 14-day quarantine. It can’t happen in India. This quarantine is tough to handle. Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL,” he said in an interview with Sportstar.
Can say in hindsight that the IPL should have been called off earlier: Ganguly
Further, the former Indian captain opined on the reasons that resulted in the postponement of the T20 extravaganza. Ganguly asserted that people will say a lot of things regarding whether the tournament should have been hosted or not. The 48-year-old reckoned that IPL 2021 would have been completed but the trouble began when the players started testing positive.
“You can say that now in hindsight that the IPL should have been called off earlier. Mumbai and Chennai (bio bubbles) did not have cases. Only when the IPL reached Delhi and Ahmedabad did the cases rise. People will say a lot of things in any case.
“…we would have continued if there were no cases. We would have completed the IPL. The players were in the bubble and there were no crowds at the venues. Players were not getting infected. Once the players got affected, we called it off. Look at leagues going around the world. They have had Covid cases, but they have continued,” he concluded.
