Eight Groundsmen At Mumbai’s Wankhade Test Covid Positive Just Days Ahead Of IPL 2021; No Matches In Mumbai Anymore?

Just a week before the start of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League, eight ground-staff at Mumbai’s Wankhade Stadium have tested positive for Covid-19.

Wankhade's Groundsmen in 2011 | Representational Image (Courtesy: Getty Images)

Mumbai: Indian Premier League is set to begin from April 9, 2021. Just a week ahead of the start of the 14^th season, a shocking news is coming across from the state of Maharashtra. As many as eight Groundsmen at the Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai tested positive during the tests conducted before the start of IPL 2021.

As reported by The Hindu, 19 groundsmen at the Wankhade Stadium had to undergo the mandatory RT-PCR test before the start of the IPL. Three staff member had tested positive on March 26 while five of them tested positive on April 1, 2021. Wankhade is scheduled to host IPL games from April 10 to April 25. But with this revelation and also due to the rising Covid-19 cases in the state of Mahrashtra, nothing can be said for certain.

It is learnt that to make up for the eight infected ground-staff, Wankhade administration would be roping in workers from Sharad Pawar Academy at BKC and Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Kandivali.

Will The BCCI Move IPL Out Of Mumbai?

With the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in the country, it will be interesting to see if IPL administration takes any decision in regards to changing certain venue in the tournament.

Maharashtra’s Chief Minister took a press conference on Friday and informed the people that the possibility of a lockdown cannot be denied. The latest numbers show 3, 89, 832 active cases in the state of Maharashtra.

However, as things stand Wankhade Stadium will host matches from 10-25 April 2021 without any fans in attendance. But with this new revelation of infection of corona among the Wankhade staff, it will be interesting to see if BCCI reconsiders its decision to play in Mumbai.