MCA keen on hosting IPL 2021 games in Mumbai despite recent spike in COVID-19 cases

The BCCI is reportedly bullish about holding the 10 IPL games in Mumbai between April 10-25 despite the alarming spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. On April 2, Mumbai reported the highest-ever single-day spike of 8,832 new COVID-19 infections. Things are not looking very promising at the moment as the financial capital of the country struggles to contain the rapid spike.

Recently, Delhi Capitals’ star Axar Patel, 10 members of the ground staff at the Wankhede Stadium, and six event managers, deployed by the BCCI, tested positive for the dreaded virus. There are now apprehensions all over that Mumbai might not be able to host the IPL games this year. Hyderabad and Indore have been kept as stand-by venues for the IPL in case the situation spirals out of control.

The BCCI, however, is still not thinking about shifting the venue from Mumbai to any other city. The BCCI has stated that it would be tough for them to create another bio-bubble in a different city in such a short span of time. IPL 2021 is scheduled to start in less than a week. Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore will take on each other in the tournament opener on April 9 in Chennai.

“Yes, Hyderabad is one of the stand-by venues but for all practical purposes, we are still not thinking about shifting games from Mumbai. It will be difficult to create another bio-bubble at such short notice,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by Khaleej Times.

Mumbai on the verge of lockdown

While BCCI is confident of the IPL games going ahead in Mumbai as originally scheduled, Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has stated that the city is on the verge of lockdown. Thackeray has acknowledged the recent spike in COVID-19 cases as a “second wave” that is “more severe than the previous one”.

“Today, I am giving an indication for a complete lockdown, but not announcing it formally. If things do not improve visibly in a couple of days and if no other solution is found, we will have to announce another lockdown like it is being done globally,” Thackeray recently said.