The second phase of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 will get underway from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As many as 31 matches shall take place in the second leg of the cash-rich league, with reigning champions Mumbai Indians (MI) taking on three-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening game.
Various cricket boards are also exploring all options to allow their players to participate in the remaining matches. Amid all this, Australian pace sensation Pat Cummins, who represents Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the lucrative league, has given hints regarding his unavailability for the fourteenth season.
Cummins revealed this during the Live Question & Answer session on his YouTube channel. The New South Wales speedster said that his wife Becky Boston is pregnant, and they are expecting their first baby during the T20 tournament. Cummins also explained that the travel restrictions and quarantine rules make it even more challenging for him to join his KKR squad.
“Unfortunately, at this stage, I probably won’t going to the IPL. I haven’t made an official call on it. But my partner is pregnant, and our baby is due in the middle of the IPL,” said Cummins.
“At the moment, there is a travel restriction getting back to Australia; you got to do two weeks quarantine. There is probably going to be some days quarantine going to UAE. So for the second half this season, it’s going to be really tough to get over there,” he added.
There is no doubt that the absence of Cummins will be going to impact the Knight Riders as he was the highest wicket-taker for his team in the first leg. The right-armer bagged seven wickets in seven matches.
