Faf Du Plessis Reckons Both IPL And T20 World Cup Are Possible If The Stakeholders Are Flexible In Scheduling

Faf du Plessis, former South African captain, has said that he is ready to quarantine for a period of 14 days provided a shortened version of the IPL takes place.

Du Plessis added that players will have to adapt and evolve in the wake of COVID-19 in order to get cricket up and running.

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League, which was set to take place from March 29th, was postponed initially till April 15 but with the global lockdowns taking place, the cash-rich league was called-off for an indefinite period of time.

The BCCI is now mulling at the September-October window for the 13th edition, and du Plessis, who has been a part of the cash-rich league for almost a decade now, reckoned that it will be difficult for foreign players to tour if a full-fledged IPL takes place, considering a 14-day quarantine period before and after the tournament.

“It’s important that we as players need to adapt and evolve to what we are currently facing. I am for quarantine for 14 days,” Faf du Plessis said on Star Sports show ‘Cricket Connected’.

He added: “I think if we start doing that tours might become a lot shorter. So if you play a four-match test series of two months IPL and another 14-day period of quarantine after that, you are looking at three months of touring playing just one team. So I’m all for quarantining but at the start we must play just a two-match series or an IPL that lasts for a month.”

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Both IPL and T20 World Cup can take place: Faf du Plessis

There have been speculations that the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place in October in Australia, might be canceled in order to make way for the IPL.

Du Plessis, however, believes that there is still a chance to stage both the IPL and T20 World Cup provided the administrators are flexible with regards to the scheduling.

“Both IPL and the T20 World Cup (are feasible). We can move these dates. The IPL is flexible, it’s looking to move. The same with the World Cup. If it means, you have to move the World Cup by 2 or 3 months, so be it,” Du Plessis said.

He added “It’s still close enough to what it is normally, it’s not like you’re extending it by 2 years. And the players get to play a World Cup. I am for trying to shift those dates, if you have to. If you don’t, then great. I think both tournaments are definitely still an option,”

Meanwhile, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal earlier clarified that the board will not be pushing for the IPL at the expense of the T20 World Cup.

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