IPL 2021- Franchises call for stricter protocols after groundsmen test positive for COVID-19
BCCI extends deadline for purchasing tender document for new IPL teams
With less than a week to go for the 14th edition of Indian Premier League, ground staff at the Wankhede Stadium have tested positive for coronavirus.
ALSO READ:IPL 2021- Eight groundsmen at Wankhede test positive for COVID-19
However, the league will still go ahead but an official of one of the franchise -- based in Mumbai -- spoke to ANI and said that the situation has changed and calls for stricter protocols.
"You do get a little concerned when you hear such things days before the start of the tournament. We have all been following protocols to the core, but obviously, when such a news come in, it makes us a little wary. We are looking at keeping things as tight as possible. Have to be on our guard," the official said.
Another franchise official said it was a wake-up call for everyone heading into the tournament. "This could actually serve as a wake-up call before the start of the tournament. Sometimes we tend to get a little comfortable after going inside the bubble. But this will ensure we follow every protocol and there is no messing up," the official said.
Eight ground staff members at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium have tested positive for COVID-19. The results came in after tests were conducted ahead of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League.
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The Wankhede Stadium is set to host 10 matches in the cash-rich T20 league from April 10 to 25.
Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals will play the first match at Wankhede on April 10.
Several groundsmen have to travel daily (mostly via trains) to come to the ground. However, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is now planning to house the staff at the ground itself till the matches are over.
According to Sportstar, all the 19 ground staff members at the Wankhede Stadium underwent routine RT-PCR tests over the last week. Three had tested positive during tests conducted on March 26. The remaining five more reports from the tests conducted on April 1 returned positive a day later, taking the overall tally to eight.