IPL 2021: Will there be opening ceremony ahead of tournament opener? - All you need to know
Story highlights
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is set to kick-start on Friday. While the matches will be played behind closed doors amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in India, the question that has been bugging the fans is whether there will be an opening ceremony ahead of IPL 2021?
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is set to kick-start on Friday. While the matches will be played behind closed doors amid a massive surge in COVID-19 cases in India, the question that has been bugging the fans is whether there will be an opening ceremony ahead of IPL 2021?
IPL opening ceremony has been a regularity before the tournament officially kickstarts. However, in IPL 2020, there was no opening ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With IPL 2021 being held in challenging times and with strict restrictions, there will be no opening ceremony this time as well with the tournament starting directly with the season opener between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore directly.
ALSO READ: IPL 2021: What is new, what has changed, who is in, who is out? Ten things different this time
However, top BCCI officials such as Sourav Ganguly, Jay Shah among others and members of Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI) will be attending the opener between MI and RCB in Chennai on Friday.
“This year’s IPL Opening ceremony for the first time shall have representation from the Differently abled governing council members. Jay Shah, the Secretary of the BCCI, has extended an invitation to the office bearers of the Differently Abled Cricket Council of India (DCCI),” twitted the association’s official Twitter handle.
Even media will not be allowed to cover IPL 2021 from the venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the restrictions may be lifted if the situation around the virus eases down.
“Owing to the health and safety concerns, media personnel will not have access to the stadium to cover the games or team practice sessions,” the BCCI said in a release.
“If health and safety conditions are more favourable later in the season, media may be allowed to access the stadiums to cover the tournament. Such an announcement will be made in due course,” the BCCI statement read.