The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League was suspended after players and support staff across 4 franchises tested positive for COVID-19. “IPL suspended for this season,” BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla was quoted as saying by ANI.

The announcement came after Sunrisers Hyderabad’s wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and Delhi Capitals spinner Amit Mishra had contracted the virus. 

Earlier, the CSK vs RR and RCB vs KKR games had ben postponed due to COVID cases in one of the camps. Wednesday’s IPL game between Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals was postponed after CSK bowling coach L Balaji tested positive for the virus.

On Monday, the match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore was also postponed after KKR bowlers Sandeep Warrier and Varun Chakravarthy tested positive for the infection.

Just days before this, three Australian players had pulled out of the league, citing COVID-19 concerns amid a devastating second wave of the global pandemic that has overwhelmed the medical infrastructure of the country.

The 2020 IPL had also been held in a bio-secure bubble in the UAE and at that time, infections were only reported before the start of the tournament.

India is currently recording over 3.5 lakh COVID-19 cases every day and more than 3,000 daily deaths.