While lockdown looms large over Maharashtra and Mumbai in particular, the virus spike among the people concerned in the Wankhede Stadium, BCCI officials and event management has raised doubts about 10 matches to be held at this iconic stadium from April 10, while the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council (GC) is also looking to shift the Mumbai matches either to Indore or Hyderabad.
There are some more grave incidents at the Wankhede Stadium that have been tested positive for the virus. According to MCA sources, there are eight groundsmen who have tested positive. It is also given to understand that even the BCCI co-ordinators with the teams have been affected, which has been kept under wraps.
There are in all 15 groundsmen at the Wankhede Stadium and eight have tested positive in the last seven days, but ironically, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is likely to keep the show on and are getting workers from other centres to see that the first IPL match on April 10 goes on.
"What is saddening is the fact that the concerned people have taken the assistance of groundsmen from other centres to work on the field, while having the other seven with them," said one of the MCA members while talking to FPJ.
The other seven workers at the Wankhede Stadium should have been quarantined, which has been ignored by MCA," added the member on condition of anonymity.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, as even the members of the BCCI who are coordinating with the IPL teams, have been affected, which is again under wraps," added the official. And to top it all, even the event management team members have tested positive," added the official.
With the number of cases rising in the state of Maharashtra, IPL franchises have started feeling the heat and are keeping fingers crossed with the 14th edition of the league set to get underway from April 9.
The venue is set to host 10 IPL games this season from April 10-25. The first match at the Mumbai stadium is slated to be played on April 10 between Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.
Meanwhile, four franchises, Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals, have set up their base in Mumbai for their preparatory camps.
