Amid the rising COVID cases, there is a good news for IPL fans. The cricket league has been granted permission to go ahead as per the schedule and the matches will be played with strict restrictions. As per media reports, Maharashtra’s cabinet minister Nawab Malik confirmed that matches will be played as per the set schedule, with no in-person attendance in the stadium.

“All the players and other supporting staff will have to isolate themselves at the same place”, Malik added in his statement to ANI. The confirmation from the state government came day after it announced complete lockdown from Friday evening till Monday morning to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The statement by the government comes amid COVID cases being reported of more than 10 ground staff of Wankhede Stadium in the past week.

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The minister reiterated in his statement that overcrowding will not take place and the permission was given on that basis only. BCCI has requested the state to vaccinate people involved in the IPL including all the players, but the minister said that it was not possible until the central government reduces the age for vaccination. 

Regarding the vaccination of players involved in IPL, the BCCI president Rajeev Shukla was quoted by ANI saying that, “the cricket board is mulling over the idea and will soon write to the health ministry for the same.” 

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BCCI President Sourav Ganguly also confirmed on Sunday that the IPL tournament will be played as per schedule and there will be no delays.

Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium will organise a total of 10 matches starting from April 10 till April 25. The first match will be played on April 10 between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals.