After multiple Covid cases, IPL 2021 suspended with immediate effect: BCCI

'The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organising the tournament,' says IPL

The 2021 season of Indian Premier League has been suspended after some players were found Covid-19 positive, said the organisers of the marquee cricket tournament on Tuesday.

"Indian Premier League Governing Council (IPL GC) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an emergency meeting has unanimously decided to postpone IPL 2021 season, with immediate effect," IPL said in the statement.

"The BCCI does not want to compromise on the safety of the players, support staff and the other participants involved in organising the IPL. This decision was taken keeping the safety, health and wellbeing of all the stakeholders in mind, " it further added. 

"These are difficult times, especially in India and while we have tried to bring in some positivity and cheer, however, it is imperative that the tournament is now suspended and everyone goes back to their families and loved ones in these trying times. The BCCI will do everything in its powers to arrange for the secure and safe passage of all the participants in IPL 2021," added IPL.

IPL latest news

The announcement came after Sunrisers Hyderabad's wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha tested positive for Covid-19. On Monday, Chennai Super Kings bowling coach L Balaji along with Kolkata Knight Riders bowlers Sandeep Warrier and Varun Chakravarthy had also returned positive results.

The spread of infections had led to postponement of two IPL games earlier. BCCI was also contemplating to move the IPL 2021 to Mumbai for the rest of the season but the rising Covid-19 cases made the tournament to progress impossible.
 

"The BCCI and the IPL Governing Council have unanimously decided to postpone the IPL 2021 till further notice. We don't wish to compromise the safety of the players, the people involved, employees, the groundsmen, the match officials," BCCI general secretary Jay Shah told news agency ANI.

Ace cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle said on Twitter that the postponement was 'inevitable'.

"I guess it became inevitable in the last couple of days..... Look forward to calling the action in happier times. The IPL is a great event and I hope it returns stronger when the world is what we knew it to be," said Bhogle.

"The tournament has been suspended indefinitely. We will try to conduct the event in the next available window but this month is unlikely," league chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI.

IPL chairman on return of foreign players

The IPL chairman further added that BCCI will "find a way"to arrange for the of foreign players.

"We need to send them home and we will find a way to do that," Brijesh told PTI when asked how will the foreigners return home but did not elaborate beyond that.

The foreigners involved in IPL 2021 are concerned about returning to their respective countries due to travel restrictions imposed in the wake of a deadly resurgence of the pandemic in India.

BCCI vice-president on current IPL sponsorship

BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said that if the IPL 2021 edition completes later in the year then BCCI would continue with the existing sponsors. "IPL 2021 sponsorship and contracts will continue to remain if we will manage to hold the remaining matches later in the year," he told news channel ET NOW.

Money riding on the league

• Rs 4,000 crore: BCCI earns through broadcasting and digital rights and 20 per cent of the franchisee revenues and sponsorships.
• Rs 250-300 crore: Each franchisee makes from share of central revenues, home stadia, ticket sales, licensing fee, merchandising and advertising and sponsors of the team
• Rs 3,000 cr: Disney is expected to make from avertising and broadcasting sponsors as it beams the matches on TV and its OTT platform
• Rs 700 crore: Fees of players, including foreign ones, at stake.

(estimated value as of last season)

IPL 2021 points table as of May 4, 2021
 

Teams	Play	Won	Loss	Tie	NR	PTS	NRR
DC	8	6	2	0	0	12	0.547
CSK	7	5	2	0	0	10	1.263
RCB	7	5	2	0	0	10	-0.171
MI	7	4	3	0	0	8	0.062
RR	7	3	4	0	0	6	-0.19
PBKS	8	3	5	0	0	6	-0.368
KKR	7	2	5	0	0	4	-0.494
SRH	7	1	6	0	0	2	-0.623

IPL 2021 top five batsman as of May 4, 2021

 

Orange cap: Shikhar Dhawan (Delhi Capitals)
 

Name	Matches	Runs	Fours	Sixes	50s	100s	Best
Shikhar Dhawan	8	380	43	8	3	0	92
KL Rahul	7	331	27	16	4	0	91 not out
Faf du Plessis	7	320	29	13	4	0	95 not out
Prithvi Shaw	8	308	37	12	3	0	82
Sanju Samson	7	277	26	11	1	0	119

RCB's Harshal Patel was the leading wicket-taker before IPL 2021 gets postponed due to rising Covid-19 cases. Photo: Sportzpics for BCCI

Top five bowlers in IPL 2021 as of May 4, 2021

Purple cap: Harshal Patel (RCB)

Name	Matches	Overs	Economy	Runs	Wickets	Best
Harshal Patel	7	28	9.17	257	17	5 for 27
Avesh Khan	8	30	7.7	231	14	3 for 32
Chris Morris	7	26	8.61	224	14	4 for 23
Rahul Chahar	7	28	7.21	202	11	4 for 27
Rashid Khan	7	28	6.14	172	10	3 for 36