The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League was on Tuesday suspended indefinitely after multiple Covid-19 cases were reported within its bio-bubble. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were confirmed positive cases in four of the eight teams, which would quarantine for half the franchises.
“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.
The positive cases within the bubble had led to postponement of two IPL games already and there were talks of moving the tournament to Mumbai before this call was taken.
The announcement came after an Indian cricketer in both Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals camp tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, a day after there were were positive cases reported in the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings teams.
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 tournament began on April 9 in Mumbai and Chennai with the eight teams restricted to two venues before moving to Delhi and Ahmedabad as the caseload in India increased. Already, there have been questions over the tournament continuing especially in the national capital. A few players and officials have withdrawn from the event, including three Australians.
Here’s a look at the reactions to IPL’s suspension
UPDATE: The 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.
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 4, 2021
Details - https://t.co/OgYXPj9FQy pic.twitter.com/lYmjBId8gL
Stay safe, everyone. 😷
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 4, 2021
The postponement of the IPL will be a huge disappointment to so many people but health and safety surpasses everything else in importance. This horrible virus doesn’t discriminate and even the strictest biosecure bubbles aren’t foolproof.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) May 4, 2021
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
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 4, 2021
India - it’s heartbreaking to see a country I love so much suffering! 😢
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) May 4, 2021
You WILL get through this!
You WILL be stronger coming out of this!
Your kindness & generosity NEVER goes unnoticed even during this crisis! 🙏🏽#IncredibleIndia ❤️
It took two days of positive tests for #IPL2021 to fall apart. Since the IPL began, India recorded 5,10,779 cases and 53,916 deaths.
— Tanuj Lakhina (@tanujlakhina) May 4, 2021
There’s no need for impertinent celebrations due to the postponement of IPL 2021. The league has been postponed, indefinitely, because several players contracted the virus. Wishing speedy recovery to all of them.
— Sritama Panda (@cricketpun_duh) May 4, 2021
The postponement was the need of the hour, the celebration is not.
Nope. Doesn't make sense to go to UK, play, come back and go back again. UK travel/quarantine rules won't allow it either.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) May 4, 2021
IPL suspension will impact the international calendar. Wait and watch. https://t.co/41mXUjYAT9
I don’t see the season resuming. Bec there is no window and you don’t have enough time to make back up plans with travel involved. Without travel things may have worked. May. No bubble is 100 percent proof as we have seen but travel makes it that much more vulnerable.
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) May 4, 2021
Now that IPL is suspended, time to convert them to hospitals for COVID19. Most of the venues are already well-equipped I guess. #IPL
— Krithika (@krithika0808) May 4, 2021
IPL suspended for the season.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@SachinAzharCT) (@ovshake42) May 4, 2021
Time to convert the venues into Covid-19 hospitals.
The Ahmedabad ground is already well-equipped. I'm sure the other venues are, as well.
They did that at Trent Bridge, Old Trafford, Derby, etc, during World Wars.
Khatam,tata, bye-bye #IPL2021 #iplcancel
— Riyan Parag (@ParagRiyan) May 4, 2021
IPL suspended. Logic would say "to resume in a lower density venue", but logic isn't running the show #IPL2021
— Daniel Brettig (@danbrettig) May 4, 2021
Slater knew. #IPL
— cricBC (@cricBC) May 4, 2021
Next question is how do foreign players get home? Virtually no country is allowing people in from India at the moment. Citizens or otherwise. #IPL
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) May 4, 2021
Signing off from Ahmedabad 👋🏻
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 4, 2021
We will be back soon, stronger! Till then, urging everyone to stay home, stay safe 🏠#KKR #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/LFKJAA8cbH
On the IPL being suspended & Australian players: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said there won't be exceptions for them. Players will have to stay in India until travel ban lifts or travel to another country for two weeks before coming back to Australia. #IPL2021
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) May 4, 2021
Some humor about it too
Unbelievable that they could not find a brand partner for this IPL suspension.
— Sidin (@sidin) May 4, 2021
IPL suspended for a week.
— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) May 4, 2021
Am surprised that the announcement wasn't "IPL is now taking a CEAT Tyres time-out. So, TATA for a week."
God saw RCB do well and pressed refresh on the entire season
— sonali (@samtanisonali1) May 4, 2021
Netflix, Prime and Sony Liv after IPL got suspended
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 4, 2021
pic.twitter.com/ptGpdy1WWD
Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin also lauded the BCCI for doing the right thing by postponing the tournament.
“In view of the COVID crisis in India and with players testing positive, the postponement of IPL with immediate effect is the correct course of action taken by @BCCI and the IPL governing council. Hope to see IPL back soon in better & safe environment,” Azharuddin wrote.
While former Australia cricketer and Kolkata Knight Riders’ chief mentor David Hussey took to Twitter to say he was “shattered”, South African pace legend Dale Steyn wished a speedy recovery to those infected.
“Covid don’t care. It has no favorites. Get well to those sick and hopefully everyone else will get home safe and in good health,” Steyn tweeted.
