Mumbai Indians are the defending IPL champions. (Source: PTI)
In wake of rising cases of Novel Coronavirus in the capital, the Delhi government has prohibited all sports activities that include a gathering beyond 200 people including the Indian Premier League (IPL) till further notice.
Delhi has so far confirmed six positive case of the virus and has traced over 1,400 people who were in the contact with the six cases. Announcing the decision on Friday, deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said “All the sports activities including IPL matches have been postponed in Delhi till further notice. Coronavirus has been declared an epidemic by the government and we are taking all precautionary measures.”
दिल्ली सरकार ने कोरोना के फैलाव को रोकने के लिए सभी sports gatherings (including IPL), बड़े सेमिनार, कोंफ़्रेंस आदि के आयोजन पर पाबंदी लगा दी है. सभी DM, SDM अपने क्षेत्रों में कोरोना सम्बन्धी आदेशों के पालन पर निगरानी रखेंगे.
हम सबको मिलकर इस ख़तरनाक वायरस को फैलने से रोकना है.— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) March 13, 2020
Health Minister Satyendar Jain said home quarantine is the best solution in case one has any symptoms of coronavirus. Delhi has so far reported six cases of coronavirus, which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation. On Thursday, Delhi Chief Minister announced shutting of all cinema halls, schools and colleges till March 31.
The IPL is due to start on March 29 in Mumbai and Delhi’s first game was to be on March 30. The BCCI responded by listing the alternate venues that could play host. Delhi is home to the Delhi Capital IPL franchise. “Lucknow has been wanting to host IPL matches for a while now. If it’s a closed-door tournament, it really doesn’t matter where it is played,” a BCCI source told PTI. Before Delhi, Karnataka has also expressed its unwillingness to host IPL matches, while Maharashtra has banned the sale of tickets.
With Agency input