IPL 2020 Not Possible Without 'International Stars': KXIP Co-owner Ness Wadia

The fate of IPL 2020 still hangs in the balance with its parent body having adapted the ‘wait and watch’ policy over it. The cricket board CEO Rahul Johri had claimed that IPL 2020 will be possible with overseas player after monsoon. Speculations also suggest that the 2020 T20 World Cup might be postponed with the IPL 2020 taking up the October window.

Although, nothing can be confirmed as of now, the cricket board has kept its wide number of options open. As it looks now, the board is trying its way out, not to suffer massive losses by calling off the tournament in a pandemic situation. The board, one of the most influential, is also not willing to coax the governing council to call off the T20 World Cup to open doors for the IPL 2020.

IPL is an international tournament, it needs international stars: KXIP Co-owner Ness Wadia

IPL is a globally recognized tournament and has drawn a lot of players over the years to make it a hit event. Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) co-owner Ness Wadia has said insisted that a premier cricket event like the IPL cannot sustain without its international stars but also said that it remains to be seen if foreign players can travel in the pandemic situation.

“IPL is an international tournament made by Indians. It is the premier cricketing event in the world; therefore, it needs an international platform and international stars,” Wadia told PTI.

“But it remains to be seen which of the foreign players are allowed to travel at that time (considering the restrictions). I feel there are too many variables for the BCCI at the moment to even have a calculated guess on when it might happen. What if tomorrow the cases keep rising, what happens then? It would be unwise to think of anything other than Covid-19 for the moment.”

The IPL 2020 was originally slated to get underway from March 29 but has been postponed indefinitely after being deferred.