IPL 2020 great news for all of us: Sachin Tendulkar
Legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday (August 15) said that the 2020 IPL in UAE is a welcome distraction for cricket fans in these pandemic times. Tendulkar was in conversation with cricket historian Boria Majumdar in India Today’s eConclave Inspiration series.
The 13th edition of the IPL was initially scheduled between March-May this year in India. However, the global outbreak of coronavirus forced the BCCI to postpone the tournament indefinitely. With the ICC then postponing the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia, BCCI announced the new dates and venue for this year’s IPL.
“IPL is great news for all of us. A number of other sports have resumed, I have been watching a bit of football, F1, Test cricket in England. So it’s nice that IPL will be played in the UAE,” Tendulkar told Majumdar.
In the last five months or so, there has been a steady rise in the number of Covid-19 cases, not just in India but across the world. Tendulkar said that a tournament like the IPL will help people divert their minds from these tense times.
“For a change, we will be discussing other numbers, statistics we will be discussing and talking about would be the strike rates and the run rates and not about Covid-19 — how many cases have increased today and what are the doctors projecting. Those numbers are not what one would hear. We will hear something else now.”
IPL will bring smiles
The Master Blaster also added that he is hopeful of a decrease in the number of positive cases and that live sport takes centre stage with the IPL.
“I am hoping and praying the cases to come down and the strike rate and the run rate and all those numbers are at the forefront. I just feel that this is great news not only for athletes but it’s going to do a lot of good to other people where they will be able to distract their mind and some would surely have a smile on their face,” Tendulkar concluded.
The former India captain has been at the forefront of fighting the battle against coronavirus in these unforeseen times. Through his generous contributions to NGOs and those in need, Tendulkar has been actively doing his bit for the society. He has also been spreading awareness regarding sanitation and hygiene, urging citizens to be proactive about their health.
Read: Sachin Tendulkar raises efforts to support the needy during troublesome times
