BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly
BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly (Image Credit: Twitter)

Sourav Ganguly, the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), explains why the board chose India to host the IPL 2021 despite its rising Covid-19 cases, instead of the UAE, where the tournament was held successfully last year.

On Tuesday, the IPL 2021 came to a halt after at least 6 covid cases – 7th emerged on Wednesday – were recorded in 4 different franchises. All the players and personnel involved in the tournament are being sent home by the BCCI.

The board received a lot of flak when the tourney started as all six venues being used were covid hotspots. However, Sourav Ganguly comes to the defence of the board’s decision, pointing out that the cases at the start of the season – around 100,000 per day – were less compared to what it has been in the last week – over 300,000 per day.

IPL trophy
IPL trophy (Image Credit: Twitter)

Sourav Ganguly also revealed that while UAE was discussed as an option, but since they have hosted England for an all-format tour without any glitches, the board went ahead to stage the IPL 2021 in India itself.

“No. When we decided, the number was not even close to this. We did the England tour successfully,” Sourav Ganguly told Indian Express.

“It was discussed, but the (COVID-19 cases) in India in February was (virtually) nothing. It has just gone through the roof in the last three weeks. Before that it was nothing. We discussed about the UAE but then decided to do it in India,” Sourav Ganguly added.

Everything was happening around the world: Sourav Ganguly

The former India captain also pointed out that all the other leagues in the world continued despite the covid outbreak, on being asked about the criticism the board experienced because of continuing the IPL notwithstanding the horrific situation outside the bio-bubble.

Sourav Ganguly (Credits: Twitter)
Sourav Ganguly (Credits: Twitter)

“As I said, when we decided all this, there was no (Covid spike) in India. So it’s very easy to say now, but when this tournament was organised, Covid numbers (in India) were nothing. We started with Mumbai and finished there without any case. And Mumbai was very high (number of active Covid cases) then.

“That answers your question (when asked if BCCI’s criticism was unfair). The English Premier League (when UK was in lockdown), La Liga, everything was happening around the world,” the 48-year-old asserted.

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