Just days before the start of the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League, two ground staff members and one plumber have tested positive for Covid-19 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. According to an ANI report, sources within the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has confirmed the development and they have also revealed that in order to conduct the IPL safely at the Wankhede, the groundstaff members would not be travelling and they will be staying in the stadium itself.
“Two more ground staff members and one plumber returned with positive Covid-19 results on Monday. Earlier, 10 ground staff members had tested positive for Covid at the Wankhede,” the MCA source told ANI.
There is a clubhouse inside the Wankhede Stadium, all the groundstaff will stay there till the Mumbai leg is over in order to conduct the IPL smoothly,” the source added.
Last week, 10 members of the Wankhede Stadium staff tested positive for the deadly virus which resulted in some franchises sweating over this very fact.
“Yes, it was 8 positive cases yesterday as far as ground-staff are concerned. Two more positive cases have emerged and all 10 have been sent back home and are isolated.
“We are bringing fresh ground-staff from the Mumbai CA ground in Kandivali for preparations,” a senior Mumbai CA official told PTI last week.
If that wasn’t enough, around six members of the event management team had also tested positive for COVID-19 and have been sent to isolation.
On Sunday, the Maharashtra government announced a weekend lockdown from Friday 8 pm to Monday 7 am to curb the spread of Covid-19, but BCCI President Sourav Ganguly insisted that the IPL would go ahead as per the schedule. “Everything will go on as per schedule,” Ganguly told ANI.
Among the players, RCB’s Devdutt Padikkal and Delhi Capitals’ Axar Patel had also tested positive for Covid-19.
Four franchises — Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings, and Rajasthan Royals have set up their base in Mumbai as of now and the Wankhede Stadium 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.
