IPL 2020 To Be Held Without Opening Ceremony, Cheerleaders

The much-awaited IPL 2020 will get underway from September 19. It was deferred from its original date initially before the cricket board adapted the wait and watch policy to postpone it indefinitely. The decision to host the IPL 2020 in UAE was confirmed after the 2020 T20 World Cup was postponed to next year.

With the Covid-19 situation worsening in India, the circumstances did not favour the lucrative tournament to be held in the sub-continent. In this situation, the IPL 2020 will cut off much of the glitz and glamour with no cheerleaders or opening ceremony in store for the upcoming edition.

“They (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,” said Ganguly.

“There is a positive in everything.”

The board president had also mentioned that their might be 30 per cent of crowd accommodated in stadiums in the latter part of the tournament.

IPL 2020 will be played entirely in UAE due to the pandemic situation forcing the cricket board to host the tournament away from India. Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah will be the three venues used for the tournament.

Dream 11 have been named as the sponsor for the upcoming season of the tournament after VIVO pulled out.

All the franchise have arrived in UAE with some of the foreign players still to join the squad. Players from England and Australia will join their respective franchises once their ongoing three-match T20I series concludes.