For the second time since its inception, BCCI will host the IPL (Indian Premiere League) outside the Indian subcontinent. The world's biggest T20 league has been moved out of India due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be played in UAE. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed to receive the official clearance from the BCCI to host the IPL in the UAE from September 19 to November 10.
The development comes after IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI that the BCCI has received all necessary clearances from the Indian government to stage the league in the UAE. The ECB had been waiting for the BCCI's final go ahead before intensifying its preparations for the tournament.
The UAE had partially hosted the event in 2014 due to the general elections in India. With the COVID-19 situation under control in the Emirates, the BCCI picked it to host the entire event comprising 60 games. Not only the COVID-19 situation, but UAE is also among few nations to allow tourists to visit their country, at a time when all the non-essential travel has been banned by most of the countries, including India.
Also, in a letter to DGCA, Ministry of Civil Aviation has confirmed that air travellers holding valid visa of all kind are allowed to travel to US, UK, Canada and UAE under the bilateral Air Bubble agreement with these countries, easing the travel for all type of Visa holders including tourist, business, student and transit visas.
An air bubble is a bilateral agreement between two nations to ease the flow of air travellers by opening air routes for all the airlines and for travellers holding all types of Visas. Such agreement with UAE means Indian nationals can now fly to UAE for watching the IPL matches in the stadium.
However, it's not been decided how many spectators will be allowed inside the stadium.
Currently, Indigo and GoAir are carrying out repatriation flights from the Gulf countries while Air India and Spicejet are operating long haul flights to the US, Canada and European Nations.
With Inputs from Agencies
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