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The 2020 edition of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) will finally begin from September 19. With less than two days to go, the excitement for the fans is at its zenith.
Defending champion Mumbai Indians (MI) will be taking on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the season-opener.
All matches will be played inside the biosecure bubble across three venues – Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi – to ensure the safety of players in the wake of COVID-19.
There’s no denying the fact that the absence of the fans will surely take the sheen out of the tournament. It will even impact the performances of some cricketers who are habitual of playing in front of a jam-packed crowd.
But, the BCCI is trying hard to compensate for the lack of crowds by playing pre-recorded cheers.
“The stadiums will be empty as everyone is looking to ensure that health protocols and bio-bubble regulations are strictly followed,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by ANI.
“So, it was decided that while some teams will record the reactions of cheerleaders, which will be played out for every four, six or wicket, other teams have decided to create small videos of fans cheering for them and those will be played out while the cricketers are battling it out in the middle.”
No Mayanti Langer in IPL this year
Meanwhile, the broadcasters have released the full list of anchors who will be covering the upcoming edition of the cash-rich league. Surprisingly, Mayanti Langer fails to make a cut this time around.
Instead, several new faces will be sharing the anchoring duty.
Neroli Meadows, the Australian TV presenter, has signed a lucrative contract with Star Sports.
Tanya Purohit, who was seen in a popular movie called ‘NH 10’, has also bagged a contract for the IPL 2020.
Apart from them, the likes of Jatin Sapru, Suren Sundaram, Kira Narayanan, Nashpreet Kaur, Tanya Purohit and Dheeraj Juneja will be wearing the anchor’s hat for the forthcoming T20 extravaganza.
Here’s a full list of anchors: Suren Sundaram, Kira Narayanan, Nashpreet Kaur, Tanya Purohit, Dheeraj Juneja, Jatin Sapru, Suhail Chandok, Sanjana Ganesan, Anant Tyagi.
