IPL 2020: Williamson happy to be playing again, calls tournament 'exciting opportunity'

As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 is just around the corner, SunRisers Hyderabad batsman Kane Williamson expressed his excitement and said that it is great that the tournament is going ahead. According to reports, Williamson arrived in the UAE on September 3 and he is currently is self-isolation as a precautionary measure against coronavirus. If the New Zealand player is tested negative thrice for the COVID-19 test, he will join his teammates training ahead of the tournament, which is scheduled to start from September 19. 

In a video posted on the official YouTube channel of SunRisers Hyderabad, Williamson said, “It is great that IPL is going ahead and all the players can get over to Dubai and quarantine and then start looking forward to playing some cricket. I know for everybody out there, it's been a long time between any sort of normality so it is a very exciting opportunity”. 

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The New Zealand skipper also spoke about what he is going to do in his quarantine period in Dubai. He said, “I'm sure it will be a longish six days, but it will be fine at the same time. I am looking forward to catching up with all the guys. I will make sure I get through some fitness and exercise and do a bit of reading. Let's see where the quarantine takes me, I will start acclimatising, I suppose”. 

All the players and team personnel are required to undergo a six-day quarantine period after landing in Dubai and everyone needs to be tested for COVID-19 thrice. Once tested negative, the players can start training in the UAE with their teammates. The IPL is scheduled from September 19 till November 10 in the UAE across three venues, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. 

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IPL 2020: All you need to know

IPL 2020 will be the first time that an IPL final will be played on a weekday. The tournament decider will be played on the day of Diwali. This will be the third time that the IPL will be held outside India (after 2009, and, 2014 editions) and at the same time, it will also be the second occasion after 2009 where all the IPL matches will be played abroad.

With just two weeks remaining for the 13th edition of the IPL to kickstart, Chairman Brijesh Patel has confirmed that the schedule for this season will be released on Sunday. Several changes are expected to be made in the previously released schedule of the tournament when it was slated to be played in India. Since the Chennai Super Kings were forced to extend their quarantine due to 13 members being infected by the coronavirus, it is likely that the MS Dhoni-led side will not face Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the tournament, as per the previous schedule. 

(With inputs from ANI) 

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