IPL
MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma with the IPL trophy (Credits: Twitter)

IPL 2020 in UAE is set to get underway from September 19 behind closed doors. However BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has indicated that their might be 30 per cent crowd in the attendance as the season proceeds. The cricket board is still to confirm the schedule for the IPL 2020.

But it is likely that defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the inaugural match. Ganguly said that the broadcasters are expecting the highest rating for IPL in this season because a lot of people will turn up to the ground. He also added that crowds may be allowed with proper social distancing and after being tested.

Sourav Ganguly,
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly (Credits – Twitter)

“Crowds will watch it on television…they (the broadcasters) are actually expecting the highest rating of IPL this season because they believe if (people) don’t turn up in the ground, they will be actually watching on their television sets,” he said. “There is a positive in everything,” Sourav Ganguly said while delivering online lecture as part of the ‘Symbiosis Golden Jubilee Lecture Series’

“…because of the COVID and infection, you don’t want people to be too close to each other, but very soon you will see there will be 30 per cent people in the ground with social distancing.”

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“They are properly tested and allowed to enter the ground. But I think that is going to happen over a period of time,” he added referring to the possibility of IPL’s later matches being opened for fans depending on the COVID-19 situation.

“…it is actually an effort to bring life back to normal. This will go on for another five-six months till the vaccine comes and I am sure everything then will be back to normal,” he asserted.

IPL 2020 Might Have Limited Crowd: Sourav Ganguly
CSK (Photo-IPL)

Meanwhile, the ongoing CPL 2020 which is being played entirely in Trinidad and Tobago is a crowdless affair.

IPL franchises have already started preparing for the season with Mumbai Indians set to put their title on defense. They have been the most successful team in IPL history. They have clinched the IPL title four times under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. CSK are the second most successful team with three titles to their name.