“There?s No Point in Playing IPL Matches in Front of Empty Stands” says Madan Lal

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal expressed his thoughts on the delay of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League. He also talked about the proposal of a shortened IPL behind closed doors.?

The IPL 2020 was scheduled to start on March 29. However, due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus in the country, BCCI decided to postpone the league till April 14. But the chances of BCCI conducting the tournament looks grim as the COVID-19 cases are increasing rapidly in India. Moreover, the country is undergoing a lockdown period of 21 days.?

More than 6700 people have been found positive for the virus in India while nearly 205 have lost their lives.?

IPL shouldn’t be conducted behind closed doors: Madan Lal

Madan Lal is the newly appointed Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) member. He was also a part of the World-Cup winning squad in 1983.?

While talking about the IPL 2020, Madan Lal said that no one should take a risk in such a crucial situation.?

He told IANS, “IPL is a big brand. But the board can only decide once the situation improves and Coronavirus is gone. At the moment, it?s on upstage. So, no one is going to take a risk,”

He laid stress on the fact that cricket is a popular game and can be played anytime but at present, we should ensure the safety of everyone. He also admitted that there is no value of playing the match in empty stadiums. Also, other than cricketers and fans, there are a lot of people involved in the execution of a cricket match.?

The former all-rounder quoted, “Once Coronavirus is gone, cricket can obviously take place because it?s such a popular sport and is loved by all,”?

He further added“Even the players would like to play in front of crowds and that can only happen once the situation fully improves. 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 traveling, organizing, broadcasting, etc.”

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