The prospect of India facing England in the UAE this winter has moved a step closer.
Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced on Saturday that a memorandum of understanding had been signed between them and the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).
Khalid Al Zarooni, the vice president of the ECB, and Mubashshir Usmani, its general secretary, met with Shah and Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, at Dubai Sports City ahead of the start of the IPL.
Details of the “hosting” agreement are yet to be announced, but it could mean the emirates staging the planned series between India and England on the BCCI’s behalf, as a result of the Covid-19 situation.
“I along with vice-chairman of the ECB, Mr Khalid Al Zarooni, signed a MoU and hosting agreement between [the BCCI] and [ECB], to boost cricketing ties between our countries,” Shah wrote on social media.
As per the ICC’s future tours programme, India are due to host Test and limited-overs series against England between October 2020 and February 2021, either side of a tour to Australia.
Ganguly said in August that they remained committed to playing the series.
“The BCCI and the Indian cricket team will continue to fulfil its FTP commitments,” Ganguly said last month.
“The senior Indian men’s team will travel to Australia in December this year and will come back to the country for a series against England starting from February next year.”
However, the coronavirus situation suggest it is unlikely India will be in a position to stage those matches at home.
India currently has the second highest number of reported Covid-19 cases in the world.
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IPL 2020: Star absentees
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Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings): The most high-profile withdrawal. Raina’s decision to return to India came while his Chennai Super Kings were in the midst of a Covid-19 outbreak, and after he had suffered a family tragedy at home. AFP -
Jason Roy (Delhi Capitals): Roy is back opening the batting for England after fitness issues kept him out of T20 series against Pakistan and Australia. But he had already signalled his intention to skip the IPL in favour of getting in shape. AFP -
Chris Woakes (Delhi Capitals): One of England’s most trusted death-over specialists has been a big earner in the IPL in times past. He opted out of this one because his wife is expecting a baby this month. PA -
Lasith Malinga (Mumbai Indians): The leading wicket-taker in IPL history is certainly out of the start of the competition, with James Pattinson brought in to replace him. He cited personal issues, which are understood to relate to his father being ill. AP -
Mitchell Starc (Unattached): Starc has not played in the IPL since 2015. He was due to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2018, but was injured, leading to a legal dispute over an insurance pay-out. He has opted out of each season since. Pawan Singh / The National -
Kane Richardson (Royal Challengers Bangalore): The Australian seamer had been recruited as a potential cure for RCB’s death over ills, but he subsequently decided to skip it. He had concerns over the Covid-19 travel issues, which might have led him to miss the birth of his first child. AFP -
Harbhajan Singh (Chennai Super Kings): Harbhajan, who turned 40 in July, was a notable absentee when CSK set off on their private charter flight to Dubai. He was supposed to follow, but eventually announced he would not be travelling due to personal reasons. AP -
Harry Gurney (Kolkata Knight Riders): The left-arm seamer had a good look round in franchise cricket last year, playing is Australia, Pakistan and the Caribbean, as well as for KKR. He had been due back this season, but fell foul of injury. AFP -
Mustafizur Rahman (Kolkata Knight Riders): Kolkata had initially looked at 'The Fizz' as a direct pace bowling replacement for Gurney. Rahman, centre, was not given permission to travel by Bangladesh, though, so they turned their attention to the American fast bowler Ali Khan instead. AFP -
Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals): The England all-rounder’s availability for Rajasthan Royals is unclear, but he seems certain to miss the start of the competition at the very least. He returned to New Zealand midway through the summer to be with his father, who has been diagnosed with brain cancer. AFP
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The IPL will be played in its entirety in the UAE, starting when Mumbai Indians face Chennai Super Kings in Abu Dhabi at 6pm on Saturday.
The operation to get the competition on has been huge, including robust quarantine and bio-security measures.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all government entities and parties involved in their tireless efforts and diligence in applying the highest global safety standards to ensure the tournament takes place in a safe and secure environment,” Sheikh Nahyan, the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, said.
After cricket boomed in Sharjah from the start of the 1980s, India were regular visitors to the UAE.
They played 72 one-day internationals in the country between 1984 and 2000.
However, the fallout from the cricket corruption controversy that rocked the sport in 2000 meant they returned rarely thereafter.
Between 2000 and 2018, they played in the Emirates just twice – inaugurating Zayed Cricket Stadium with a two-match series against Pakistan in 2006.
The relationship between the BCCI and ECB has strengthened in recent times.
The Indian board opted to relocate the 2018 Asia Cup to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, when it was clear that the competition could not go ahead in India and still involve Pakistan’s national team.
Bringing this season’s IPL to the UAE is further evidence of the strong ties between the two countries.
