The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been taking place in India amid the crunch time of the COVID-19. And, IPL cricket players feel “lucky” as they get to play in the cash-rich tournament while a COVID-19 emergency ravages India, England all-rounder Chris Woakes said to AFP.
However, four players have been tested positive so far, including England’s Liam Livingstone, who have left the league because of the COVID-19, which has already infected more than 300,000 people in a day in India. While games are taking place in empty stadiums, hospitals are running out of oxygen and beds as well.
Meanwhile, the Indian Premier League, which has been taking place across six cities now, took place in the UAE last year in October and November. Chris Woakes, who plays for the Delhi Capitals, said that he was trying to stay positive in the bio-secure ‘bubble’ as well.
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“It’s a shame with the situation at the moment with the people all around the world having to deal with Covid, which isn’t ideal,” he said. “Within the bubble we are trying to stay positive. We are very lucky that we still get a chance to play cricket and entertain people on the outside.”
India has recorded more than 16 million cases and 187,000 deaths from the deadly virus. However, Chris Woakes also added that playing this league in Indian conditions is the ideal preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup later this year.
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“Very different times we are all living in at the moment. It’s a very different IPL, no fans, bio-secure bubble, so definitely has a different feel to it. To keep busy I have got two English teammates with me in Sam Billings and Tom Curran. We spend quite a lot of time together. Bowling at some world-class players in India on small grounds, good pitches that can be as hard as it gets for a bowler. Every IPL team is stacked with world-class players, so you are testing yourself against the best players in the world in tough conditions. Obviously (with) the World Cup being here at the end of the year, it’s perfect preparation,” Chris Woakes concluded.
