IPL 2021: Decision to postpone tournament made in agreement with all franchises, confirms RCB's Mike Hesson
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) Director of Cricket Operations Mike Hesson has confirmed that the decision to postpone IPL 2021 was made in agreement with all the franchises.
IPL 2021 was postponed indefinitely on May 4 after a number of COVID-19 positive cases started emerging out of the bio-bubble.
RCB shared a video of the franchise’s interaction, immediately after the postponement was announced, on its official YouTube account. In it, Hesson explained:
“The situation really escalated once a couple of teams had positive cases within the bio-bubble. So once that happened, the BCCI were obviously very worried about the health and safety of everybody within the eight franchises. In the end, the decision was made in agreement with all the franchises that the most safe way of dealing with it is to postpone the tournament. Things will be looked at at a later date. Initially, the main priority was the health and safety of everybody within the eight bio-bubbles.”
Retiring RCB Chairman Anand Kripalu informed that BCCI was looking at a September window to resume the tournament, but added that everything is tentative at the moment. Kripalu commented:
“We got a call from the BCCI to say that they are going to be suspending the IPL given the fact that four teams have been affected (by COVID cases) and there is too much of risk. They are not certain when this will resume, but it is not a cancelled tournament and it is going to resume. They have indicated September, saying they are trying to find a window, but we don’t know exactly yet.”
RCB were highly impressive in IPL 2021
Virat Kohli-led RCB were one of the most consistent sides in IPL 2021 until the tournament was postponed. They were at the third position in the points table with five wins and two losses from seven matches. RCB’s two defeats came against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
RCB pacer Harshal Patel was the Purple Cap holder at the time the tournament was suspended. He had claimed 17 wickets in seven matches, including a five-for in the IPL 2021 opener against defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI).
Among the batters, Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers both scored over 200 runs with two fifties to their names respectively. Opener Devdutt Padikkal also hammered an unbeaten hundred as RCB trounced Rajasthan Royals by 10 wickets.