Australia spearhead Pat Cummins says that he is ready to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) behind closed doors as it will restore a degree of normalcy in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The 26-year old pacer told the BBC that it would mean fans could at least watch some live sport while at home.
The 13th season of IPL was originally scheduled to begin from 29th March but was later postponed to 15th April amidst the rapid spread of the virus in India. The expectations are the tournament will either be delayed or canceled if the lockdown in India extends.
Another problem which arises for Pat Cummins is that Aussie players won’t be allowed to fly to India due to the restriction imposed by the Australian government on overseas travel.
This IPL season, Cummins is contracted with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and he was the player to get the highest bid in this year’s IPL auction.
IPL is each year generates around $11 billion for the Indian economy and involves some star players of the cricketing world including England’s Ben Stokes, Australia’s David Warner and even India’s skipper Virat Kohli.
Cummins agreed on playing in empty stands keeping in mind the safety of the spectators. He said, “Of course — whatever it takes to try and get cricket up and play those big events safely.”
He further added, “The first priority is safety but the second one is getting back to normality.”
He concluded by saying, “It’s finding that balance. If that, unfortunately, means no crowds for a while then that’s that but hopefully, people can watch at home on television.”
2019 was an incredible year for Pat Cummins as he named one of the five cricketers of the year by Wisden for his outstanding performance.