India, IPL and Covid-surge

India reported 414,188 new covid-19 infections in the past 24 hours as the country continues to battle its worst healthcare crisis in history. While the country has become the covid-19 hub in the world with over twenty-one and half million covid cases and two hundred and thirty-four thousand deaths since the spread started.

1st PLACE 4 TROPHIESreported last month about India’s premier domestic cricket event “Indian Premier League”, in which various English players were making millions of dollars for only eight weeks of Cricket. The league started on the 9^th of April,2021, with the final scheduled on May 30^th. Despite the league being played in a biosecure bubble, the failure to curb the spread of infection among the franchises meant that the governing body of IPL had no other choice but to postpone the league for an indefinite period. The announcement came on the 4^th of May following multiple Covid-19 positive cases among different franchises.

Earlier in April, India had allowed the religious “Kumbh Mela” to go ahead. The majority of the Hindu population participated in the religious gathering that exposed millions of Indians to the contagious disease. Hence, the covid-19 numbers in India were on the rise since then. Despite the seven-day average in India currently being over 380,000 cases, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai expressed his concerns that the worst is yet to come. Similar distressing thoughts have been expressed by other think tanks as well.

Now that India has failed to organize its own Indian Premier League 2021 in India, it is expected that this year’s scheduled ICC World T20 will also be moved from India to the United Arab Emirates. The event is scheduled for the months of October and November this year. Though it is too early to say, but the current trend of spread in India suggests so. Travel Restrictions are another reason because of which teams and players are reluctant to travel to India. Moreover, the governing council of the game, International Cricket Council is also expected to avoid such risks.

Hence, United Arab Emirates seems the likeliest host for the ICC World Twenty20 2021. It is interesting to mention that UAE remained a fortress for Pakistan who played the bulk of their Cricket in Emirates between 2010 to 2016.

Pakistan Super League (PSL), 2021

Earlier in the year Pakistan’s premier T20 event, “Pakistan Super League” had also been postponed amid rising coronavirus infections. The league is scheduled to resume on June 1^st, with the final scheduled on the 20^th of June. Interestingly, Pakistan Cricket Board has also contacted Emirates Cricket Board to host the remainder of PSL in UAE. If the plan goes ahead, it would be a huge boost for Pakistan Cricket since they will have better experience and acquaintance with the conditions in UAE.

2020 Summer Olympic Games, Tokyo

Similar concerns loom over Tokyo Olympics as well. Japan observed a surge in covid-19 infections towards the end of April and restrictions were imposed on the 25^th of the same month and were expected to stay in place till 11^th of May. However, these restrictions in Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto have now been extended till the end of May.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stated on Friday that the new infections were “at a high level in major cities”, casting more doubts over the arrangement of the Tokyo Olympics.

The Olympic games are scheduled to run between the 23^rd of July to 8^th of August 2021. More than 10,000 athletes from over 200 countries of the world will visit Japan to participate in these Olympic games. Originally the games were scheduled for 24^th July to 9^th of August, 2020 but the pandemic forced the International Olympics Committee (IOC) to postpone the Summer Olympics 2020 by a year. Fans from all around the world visit the host Olympic nation. However, this time around fans from outside Japan have been barred to avoid any spike in coronavirus infections.

Currently, the response from the general public towards the Olympics has been a negative one. While billions of dollars have been invested by the sponsors, organizers, Japanese government, and broadcasters to host the event, the increased fear of the spread of the infection is the reason because of which people in Japan are demanding a postponement or cancellation of the glorious Olympic games. The Guardian reported that “nurses and other medical staff have objected” to volunteering their services for the Olympic games. An online petition calling for the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics has also attracted over two hundred thousand signatures within a span of only two days.

While the covid-crisis continue to worsen the Olympic games are expected to go ahead as scheduled since the cancellation would lead to losses, unbearable for all the stakeholders involved. Athletes are preparing to compete for the coveted medals and awards despite the uncertainty that surrounds the competition.

We at 1st PLACE 4 TROPHIES wish, hope, and pray that all these wonderful events will go ahead as planned since we know how challenging these times are for sports lovers.

1st PLACE 4 TROPHIES also wishes the very best of health to all of its readers and clients who have continued to support our medals, trophies, shields, souvenirs and glass awards over the past decade.

Follow all the Covid-19 SOPs and Stay Safe Everyone!