'There's no point in playing a big brand like IPL 2020 behind closed doors' - Madan Lal

The strenuous situation of coronavirus has taken a toll on human existence in the past couple of months. The spread of novel coronavirus has caused more than 90,000 deaths globally and the whole world has been compelled to undergo a lockdown to tackle the virus. Talking about India, the country is currently under a 21-day lockdown in order to tackle the pandemic.

India has witnessed over 6000 positive cases of coronavirus and more than 206 deaths have been registered in the country. In such trying times, the feasibility of IPL 2020 looks bleak. The much-awaited tournament was slated to begin from March 29. However, in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, the tournament was pushed further to April 15.

Considering the current situation across the world, the possibility of the IPL to commence looks slim. Several reports have also suggested that the tournament might be called off this year or it will be scheduled later in the year before T20 World Cup 2020.

‘No one is going to take a risk’: Madan Lal

Meanwhile, Indian veteran Madan Lal has also opined about the feasibility of the tournament. He said that no one will dare to take a risk in such a crucial situation. However, according to Lal, IPL is a big brand and there is no point in playing matches in empty stands. He feels that along with players and fans, the tournament also involves individuals who are involved in activities like travelling, organising and broadcasting.

“IPL is a big brand. But the board can only take a decision once the situation improves and coronavirus is gone. At the moment, it’s on upstage. So, no one is going to take a risk,” Madan Lal as quoted by India Today.

“There’s no point in playing IPL matches in front of empty stands. It’s not just about the players and the fans, it’s about other people who are also involved in the process while travelling, organising, broadcasting, etc,” added Lal.

Former IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla had also stated that the priority at the moment is to battle the pandemic. With reports of lockdown getting extended, the possibility of IPL 2020 happening in the near future looks bleak.

“I don’t see any preparation, our priority is to fight coronavirus and save people. See it will all depend on the government what decision they will take. We will go by the government decision. We are hearing that lockdown may extend in this situation if you think IPL can happen by April 15 so it seems not possible,” Shukla had said.