CPL Set To Become First T20 League To Begin Amid Pandemic, Entire Tournament To Be Played In Trinidad & Tobago From August 18

After international cricket finally returned this month with the ongoing Test match between England and West Indies, franchise cricket is also set to return. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) is all set to become the first major T20 League to be played after action around the world came to a halt in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

CPL 2020 has been scheduled to start from August 18. The sixth edition of the competition is scheduled to end on September 20. Keeping in mind the pandemic and to ensure that the players and officials remain safe, the CPL authorities have decided to host the entire tournament in Trinidad & Tobago. The tournament has already got the green light the local authorities and the government.

“All teams and officials will be housed in one hotel and everyone will be subject to strict quarantine protocols for the first two weeks they are in the country. Everyone travelling from overseas will be tested for COVID-19, before departure and then again on arrival in Trinidad.

“Teams and officials will be put into “households” where social distancing will need to be in place. There will be smaller clusters within each household where these measures can be relaxed. However, if any member of this cluster display signs of COVID-19 at any time during the tournament all members of that cluster will be expected to self-isolate for a period of 14 days from the time that a member of that group first shows symptoms,” said a statement from CPL.

As expected, the tournament will be played in empty stadiums without the spectators. Meanwhile, the players draft for the upcoming CPL has already been completed. Veteran Indian spinner Pravin Tambe was also picked in the draft as the leg-spinner is gearing up to become the first Indian to play in CPL.

He will ply his trade for Trinbago Knight Riders. Other overseas players who were picked in the draft are Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Nabi, Marcus Stoinis, Ross Taylor.

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