CPL 2020: All players, staff, administrators test negative for COVID-19 after arrival

Caribbean Premier League has been in the list of most popular cricketing leagues as the tournament is known for giving stiff competition to leagues like Big Bash in terms of popularity. However, IPL is still considered the top-most priority of many international players if they get to choose between different leagues.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, CPL 2020 will be held behind closed doors in Tarouba and Port of Spain in Trinidad. The officials of the league in a statement stated that 162 players, who came from different places for the league, have tested negative. They will be now required to remain in quarantine in their official hotels for 14 days.

It has been a colossal effort: CPL operations director

As per the news in Firstpost, CPL’s operations director Michael Hall expressed his thoughts on the ongoing situation and claimed that their first priority is the players’ health and safety.

“It has been a colossal effort by all involved to get everyone safely into Trinidad and Tobago. Our main priority is the health and well-being of all those involved in CPL and the wider population in the host country, to have got through this first step without any cases is encouraging news, but we will remain vigilant,” said the tournament operations director in a statement.

Earlier, Pravin Tambe, at the age of 48, became the first Indian player to get the contract in CPL. He was also bought by KKR for this year’s IPL but was later disqualified from participating in the league as he played a T10 league in UAE without getting NOC from BCCI.

CPL was created way back in 2013 as the premier T20 competition on Caribbean soil. The league gave a huge platform for many domestic Caribbean cricketers who were struggling to show their talent in the International arena like Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell who later became prominent members of their respective IPL teams also.

Meanwhile, the tournament is scheduled to take place from 18th August to 10th September with 33 games scheduled to be played on two venues. Defending champion Barbados Tridents will be defending the title along with five other teams.