Amidst the Covid19 threat persistent over the thirteenth season of the IPL which gets underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19, over 20,000 coronavirus tests will be carried out during the upcoming season of the tournament, the Twenty20 tournament's medical partner said Thursday.

The much famed and cash rich T20 league is being held in United Arab Emirates for the second time after 2014 on account of the alarming rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in India over the past few months

The franchises are leaving no efforts in adhering to the social distancing guidelines entailed in the strictly laid down Covid-19 protocols with over 200 players from the eight teams who arrived last month in the host nation have been tested for the novel virus and spent six days in isolation in their hotel rooms.

VPS healthcare, the tournament's Abu Dhabi-based official medical partner, said on Wednesday that 3,500 tests have been done so far. "During the course of the tournament, we will be conducting over 20,000 tests," a spokesman told AFP.

"The movement of the players and other officials of the IPL are strictly restricted between the hotel and the stadium," the spokesman said.

The IPL fraternity in the UAE was given quite the shake up when 13 members of the CSK franchise including two players tested positive for Covid-19. Meanwhile experienced campaigners Suresh Raina and veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh have opted out since due to "personal reasons".

The 13th edition of the IPL will get underway with Chennai Super Kings locking horns with defending champions Mumbai Indians in the tournament opener at Abu Dhabi on September 19.The tournament will have eight teams playing out each other in 45 league games over 56 days. The finals will be played out on November 10