IPL called off; Kiwis in limbo
Current and former Black Caps are in limbo in India and potentially awaiting safe passage home, or to England, after the Indian Premier League was suspended yesterday in a Covidravaged nation.
IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed the tournament was postponed, but there were no further details on a time frame, after two Kolkata Knight Riders players tested positive on Monday.
It leaves 10 Black Caps including captain Kane Williamson, and as many as seven New Zealand support staff including former skippers Stephen Fleming and Brendon
McCullum in limbo, awaiting further instruction.
New Zealand Cricket public affairs manager Richard Boock said in a statement to Stuff: ‘‘NZC remains in contact with the New Zealand contingent in the IPL. The players are in a relatively safe environment and those within affected teams are in isolation.
‘‘We’ll continue to liaise with the BCCI, the ECB and New Zealand government authorities in terms of managing their situation – but at this juncture it’s too early to discuss in any detail.’’
Black Caps cricketers are playing in the lucrative league as independent contractors, but are there with the blessing of NZC which issued the required No Objection Certificates.
Williamson’s Sunrisers Hyderabad were the latest to be hit on Tuesday when Indian international Wriddhiman Saha tested
positive and was isolated away from the rest of the squad. The Sunrisers were scheduled to play Mumbai Indians early today (NZT).
Previously, the McCullumcoached Kolkata Knight Riders (two players) and the Flemingcoached Chennai Super Kings (two members of staff) had registered cases. KKR players and staff were placed in hotel isolation, with McCullum, Lockie Ferguson, Tim Seifert, bowling coach Kyle Mills and strength and conditioning coach Chris Donaldson the New Zealanders affected.
Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner were scheduled to join their test team-mates in England later this month to prepare for the World Test Championship final against India on June 18. The test squad are scheduled to fly to England on May 15.
In a media statement, the IPL said the decision was ‘‘unanimously’’ taken by the tournament’s governing council along with the top brass of the BCCI.