MUMBAI: “No human life is worth sacrificing for Indian Premier League (IPL) which should not take place if the situation doesn’t improve in two-three weeks,” Ness Wadia, co-owner of IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab told PTI, following the BCCI’s decision to suspend the T20 tournament till April 15 in the wake of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.
Wadia, who spoke to the BCCI officials including president Sourav Ganguly on Friday, said the situation has to improve for the IPL to take place.
“There can be no compromise for even one human life. If we cancel the IPL and end up saving one life, it will be worth it. That is my personal opinion. It is better to be safe than sorry,” Wadia told PTI.
“The first benchmark is April 15. If the situation improves after two-three weeks, it could be reconsidered, if not then IPL should definitely not happen,” said Wadia.
Taking a similar stance, The IPL governing council, which met here Saturday to decide the next course of action, issued the following statement:
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday met the Indian Premier League franchises owners at the Board headquarters here in Mumbai to discuss the Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak and its impact on the upcoming season.
“The BCCI along with all the IPL franchises have reiterated BCCI’s stand of putting safety and well-being of fans, athletes and employees as a priority. The board will continue to monitor and work closely with Government of India, state governments and other state regulatory bodies to decide on the future course of action in the best interest of public health.
“The BCCI and all its stakeholders are committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for everyone involved in our great sport and the nation.”
Kolkata Knight Riders principal owner Shahrukh Khan also put out his views on the subject. “Wonderful to meet all the Franchise owners ‘off the field’ so to say. The meeting by @Bcci and @ipl was to reiterate what all of us feel…safety first of the spectators, players management & cities we play in. All directives of the health agencies & govt to be followed.” the Hindi film superstar posted on his official twitter handle.
