Aakash Chopra Reveals Why ICC Might Have An Issue If IPL 2021 Returns To The UAE
Published - 28 May 2021, 03:30 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:47 AM
Former Indian opening batsman Aakash Chopra has spotted an issue with the second phase of IPL 2021 taking place in the UAE. The BCCI has kept the UAE as one of the options to stage the remaining fixtures of IPL 2021 that they had to postpone earlier this month in India due to the COVID-19 outbreak. However, Aakash Chopra underlined that ICC might object against UAE hosting the lucrative league due to the possible pitch deterioration.
The BCCI has kept the UAE not only as a standby venue for IPL 2021 but also the T20 World Cup. The remaining 31 IPL fixtures are likely to place from September. Although India are the original hosts for the T20 World Cup, the competition might occur in India if the prevailing COVID-19 situation does not improve. The apex body of the sport will decide the fate of the multi-nation event on the 1st of June.
Aakash Chopra highlighted that UAE remains a strong contender to host the T20 World Cup. The 43-year old pointed out that it would be too many games since apart from 31 IPL matches in three venues, the same three grounds also have to host 45 fixtures in the T20 World Cup. Thus, Chopra raised the possibility of pitch deterioration, which the ICC and world cricket would not like.
“When the remaining IPL matches happen in the UAE, there is a big issue there. There is a very strong possibility that the T20 World happens there. If you have to play 31 matches and you have only three venues, and after that you have to play 45 matches and there also you have only three venues, you will be playing so many matches in two months. So, the pitches will deteriorate and ICC would not like it, world cricket will not like it,” Aakash told in his Youtube channel.
Aakash Chopra suggests that Sharjah could host the initial leg of IPL 2021:
Aakash Chopra conceded that to combat the situation; the BCCI could host the initial leg at Sharjah since the pitches become slow quickly, as observed the last time. The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that from Sharjah, the teams could move to Abu Dhabi and Dubai as the track in Dubai stays true and uniform without much change.
“If that is the case I would say to go to Sharjah and play the initial matches because we saw the pitch there deteriorating last time, becoming very slow. We were seeing sixes galore at the start and then after that runs were not scored at all. So, that pitch requires a little more time. So the expectation is to start in Sharjah, then go to Abu Dhabi and then go to Dubai for the final leg because nothing happened to the Dubai pitches. I used to look at the pitch daily with Sunny bhai and there was no change at all,” he added.
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IPL 2021 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
