IPL 2020: Australia Players' Participation In Doubt After Strict Travel Restrictions

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Australia has introduced strict and unprecedented travel restrictions on its citizens. And the Australian government’s decision might put the plans of Australian cricketers of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in jeopardy. The level four warning, which has been imposed, states “If you do travel, get professional security advice. Your travel insurance policy might be void. The Australian Government may not be able to help you.”

The BCCI itself suspended the IPL at least till April 15. The date coincides with Indian government’s date of imposing visa restrictions. With Indian government also imposing strict rules to fight the outbreak, uncertainty lingers over the future of the IPL too. According to a report in cricket.com.au, Cricket Australia is supportive of the travel restrictions.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Australia’s limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch, who was bought by the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore, was reported as telling SEN.

“That (travel advice) has changed over the last couple of hours. That could change in two weeks or three weeks, it’s hard to plan anything. But it’s just about making sure everyone around you personally is safe and you’re doing everything you can to stop the spread,” Finch added.

A number of Australia players earned lucrative deal in the last auction. Their pace spearhead Pat Cummins became the most expensive overseas player of all time as Kolkata Knight Riders paid a whopping amount of INR 15.5 crore to secure his services. The likes of Glenn Maxwell, Nathan Coulter-Nile also bagged lucrative contracts.

Other big names from Australia who are in the IPL are David Warner, Steve Smith, Chris Lynn, Josh Hazlewood and Alex Carey.

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