IPL 2021: CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath points out a huge roadblock ahead of the UAE leg

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced that the second phase of the Indian Premier League 2021 will start in September and end before the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on October 17. The preparations of the remaining 31 IPL 2021 matches have not yet begun but the first roadblock on the way seems to have already been discovered. 

Chennai Super Kings CEO, Kasi Viswanath, has spoken about the UAE travel ban as a massive setback in the process. Recently, the UAE government extended the already existing ban on flights from India till July 21. This has now created a problem for the franchise officials to travel to the middle east. 

With the IPL set to begin in September, the franchises want to finalize their logistics plans, make sure that the hotels are booked, and also make arrangements for the players as soon as possible. The franchise bosses have been speculating that the prices could rise a lot in Dubai for several services, with the Dubai Expo being scheduled in October, apart from the T20 World Cup. 

“Finding hotels won’t be a problem. But the flight ban is definitely a problem, it delays our plans” CSK CEO Kasi Viswanath told InsideSport. “As far as the hotel is concerned, we are already in talks. So, that should not be a problem. Whenever BCCI confirms the dates, we will finalize the bookings,” he added.

Whichever dates BCCI declares, we will be fine by that: Punjab Kings official

The Dubai Expo is a huge event and gets around 25 million visitors from across the globe to the UAE. In this time, the prices of hotels will increase immensely while at the same time getting the desired hotel and making it into a bio bubble safe enough for the players is a challenge. 

An official from Punjab Kings also spoke on this matter. “Whatever we have heard, it is through the media. We are in a state of preparedness. Whichever dates BCCI declares, we will be fine by that. Everything is being checked, hotels are being finalized, grounds have been finalized for practice. All of that is done. We are prepared. As soon as we get an official confirmation, we will make our move,” the official said.