Ashwin, few Aussies pull out, but BCCI insists IPL will go on

NEW DELHI: Anxiety pierced through IPL’s bio-secure bubbles on Monday as leading India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and a few Australian players withdrew from the league amid the escalating COVID-19 crisis in India.

However, the BCCI insisted that the competition would go on. The 34-year-old Ashwin, representing Delhi Capitals (DC), decided to take a break, saying that his family is currently “putting up a fight against COVID-19” and adding that he wants to support them. He hopes to return to the side “if things go in the right direction”. Meanwhile, Andrew Tye of Rajasthan Royals (RR) as well as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) duo of Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson left for Australia. While Zampa and Richardson have not yet spoken about their “personal reasons” for leaving, Tye said that he feared getting locked out of his own country, owing to the mounting quarantine cases from India in his homeland Perth.

“I just thought of reaching home before getting locked out of the country. I have had 11 days at home since August 2020, so for me I just wanted to get home,” Tye told SEN Radio from Doha, the transit point before his flight to Perth.

The BCCI, on its part, said that it wouldn’t come in the way of those wanting to leave. “As of now, the IPL is going ahead. If anyone wants to leave, that is perfectly fine,” a senior Board official said on conditions of anonymity.

Cummins donates money for oxygen supplies

Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) Australian pacer Pat Cummins on Monday announced a USD 50,000 donation towards PM CARES Fund for oxygen supplies in India’s COVID-19 ravaged hospitals and backed IPL 2021 to continue, saying that he has been “advised” that the government views it “as a few hours of joy” in a difficult time.