Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Arun Dhumal on Wednesday made it clear that the Indian Premier League (IPL) would begin on Sept.19 in the UAE as scheduled.

Doubts about the 2020 IPL had arisen after 13 members of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) tested positive for Coronavirus last month, and that led to speculation that the tournament might be postponed, depending on the COVID-19 situation in the UAE.

However, Dhumal said that everything was fine now in the UAE and the event would take place as planned.

“They all [CSK members] have come negative now. And the IPL will take place as scheduled; there is no doubt about that. Don’t worry, players are following the COVID-19 protocols and matches will be played without spectators. So, I don’t think there will be any problem with that,” Dhumal said.

The BCCI has also put on hold the release of the tournament schedule. Asked about it, the BCCI treasurer said the Board is in talks with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), “and hopefully the announcement will be made soon”.

“IPL Chairman Brijesh Patel is also there in the UAE and he is working on it. The ECB is helping us in all the way possible. Just hope for the best,” he added.

It is also learnt that the BCCI could go for a change in the schedule it has reportedly prepared if it goes ahead with the already decided dates. In that case, the opening encounter of the tournament could be held between champions Mumbai Indians and the runners-up of 2018 edition, Sunrisers Hyderabad. It was expected the opening game would be between Mumbai Indians and 2019 runners-up CSK.

All eight teams have resumed training in the UAE, but CSK is yet to hit the ground running. They were quarantined after 13 members of the squad tested positive. They are likely to start training from Sept.4.

MI sign Pattinson as replacement for Malinga: Veteran Sri Lanka paceman Lasith Malinga has pulled out of the Indian Premier League “to be with his family”, Mumbai Indians’  said on Wednesday, adding to growing list of players abandoning the coronavirus-hit Twenty20 tournament.

Malinga has asked to be let go for personal reasons the Mumbai Indians said, while also announcing he would be replaced by Australian quick James Pattinson.

“James Pattinson will join MI Family currently based in Abu Dhabi this weekend,” current champions Mumbai said in a statement.

Have to be extremely vigilant, disciplined: Williamson: New Zealand cricket captain Kane Williamson has acknowledged feeling apprehensive about Covid-19 as he prepares to join Sunrisers Hyderabad in the UAE. Last week, 13 members of the CSK, including two players, tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in the UAE and had to be sent into isolation.

“Obviously that’s bad news,” Williamson was quoted as saying by Radio New Zealand. “You don’t want to hear anybody (has) Covid. I hear they are predominantly asymptomatic, so hopefully through another lockdown period, they can come through and we’ll be okay.”

Will captain Kings XI Punjab with an open mind: RahuL: New Kings XI Punjab captain KL Rahul is unsure if the burden of captaincy would take a toll on his batting, as he feels previous form would count for little, and that all cricketers would be ‘slightly’ nervous when the tournament starts.

The 28-year old stylish batsman was in red hot form in white-ball cricket when the COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head a few of months ago, bringing the world to a standstill.

Having last played in the Ranji Trophy semi-final for Karnataka against Bengal in February, Rahul said his batting was “all over the place” when he hit the nets for the first time two months ago. Therefore, he said, he is not sure his rich vein of form will count or not when he leads KXIP in the cash-rich league in two weeks’ time.

“Firstly, I think we are starting fresh. I don’t think what has happened seven months prior will matter now,” Rahul told IANS in an interview from Dubai.

“We are all coming into the tournament with not [having played] a lot of cricket. So, I am not if my batting form is going to be the same as it was seven months ago.”