Franchises prepare to play 13th edition of IPL in UAE

A franchise official said that his team has already started preparing for the logistics. “You need to be smart and plan early. We have been given the required inputs and are planning accordingly. We have actually decided on the hotel we wish to stay in Abu Dhabi and how we will go through the processes. We will obviously need to brush up with the health guidelines of the country,” said the official.

Another official of a former champion franchise said that his side is looking to get an isolation period done in India before heading off to UAE. “We are looking at having the boys come together in India. We want them to spend time in a bio-secure environment and get the tests done and later head to UAE.

“The reason behind that is we are all staying at home. So, if one of us is asymptomatic, we have the risk of infecting others. That is why it is better to go through a couple of weeks of isolation and testing here in the country before heading out,” the official explained.

Asked about the travel plan, an official of another franchise said that chartered planes are the most viable options as normal flight schedules may or may not start and each team will have around 35-40 people travelling as a unit. “I think most teams, if not all, are already looking at hiring chartered planes. You never know if we will have regular flights operating by the end of August. Most teams would wish to be in UAE by the last week of August or the first week of September.

So, in such a scenario, the best way is to hire chartered planes. The number of members obviously increases a bit when you are headed outside and have restrictions in movement in times like this,” the official pointed.