IPL 2021: We need to send them home and we will find a way to do that – Brijesh Patel on overseas players

 

With IPL 2021 suspended indefinitely, the next task for the Board of Control for Cricket in India is to send all the overseas players safely back to their home. The Indian Premier League governing council chairman Brijesh Patel has assured that they will find a way to send all the overseas players back to their home.

In fact, earlier BCCI had assured that they will try their best to help all the foreign players reach back home safely after the conclusion of IPL 2021. However, with IPL being suspended, the Indian board finds itself in a confusing state.

“We need to send them home and we will find a way to do that,” Brijesh Patel told PTI.

After India has been hit hard by the second wave of Covid-19, several countries have imposed bans on flights from India, which is now going to be a huge challenge for the BCCI.

Australia has already cancelled all flights from India till May 15, which means players like David Warner, Steve Smith and Pat Cummins and others will need to stay in India or fly to some other place. There are almost 40 Australians in the IPL bio bubble.

England players can return back to their home but they will need to complete a quarantine of 10 days and will need to return two negative tests during that period. 11 English players are part of the bio bubble barring the match official and commentators and others.

New Zealand players can also travel back to their country but they will need to quarantine themselves for two weeks. However, it is expected that the Kiwis will be travelling to the UK, as they will play a two-match Test series, starting from June 2, against England before they take on India in the World Test Championship final.

South African players can also travel back to their home whereas Bangladesh players can take the road route to get back into their country.