Local Cricket Leagues in Jaipur and Hapur Overlooking the outcomes of Pandemic? Can we not follow the Government Rules for Once?

Jaipur: As part of stringent action taken against those defying Section 144 imposed in Rajasthan, the opening match of  T10 Super League was stalled by police intervention. The match was taking place at Aravalli Cricket Ground in Jaipur on 20th March 2020.

Section 144 was implemented across Rajasthan in response to the rising number of Coronavirus or COVID-19 cases across India. The measure was taken to compel citizens to stay indoors and avoid travelling in crowds, increasing the risk of contracting the infection.

All sporting events across the country were either postponed or cancelled to avoid mass gatherings, including the highly popular Indian Premier League. However, tournaments like  T10 Super League, Jaipur and Hapur Premiere League, Hapur, UP, decided to go ahead with the matches. a 15-day tournament, taking place between 20th March and 5th April 2020.

A 15-day tournament,   T10 Super League was to take place between 20th March and 5th April 2020. Eight teams were expected to participate in the league, powered by MyTeam11. The teams’ strength witnessed a reduction, owing to the reluctance of some players to join the league in response to the imposition of Section 144 in the state.

The opening match between Power Giants and Panther Heroes commenced as scheduled on Friday, 20th March 2020. However, police intervention stalled the match and eventually compelled the organisers to cancel the entire season. MyTeam11’s irresponsible decision to proceed with a league during the COVID-19 outbreak was widely criticised.

However,  T10 Super League was not the only tournament taking place during this sensitive period. The 2020 edition of Hapur Premier League continues to progress in Uttar Pradesh, despite Section 144 imposed in the nearby region of Noida.

While T10 Super League has been stalled, Hapur Premier League is still going on without interruptions.

State governments across the nation have openly requested citizens to practice social distance to help curb the extent of this unfortunate outbreak. On 20th March 2020, Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi too addressed Indians in a televised broadcast, asking people to take precautions and implement a ‘Janata Curfew’ on Sunday, 22nd March 2020.

For more information on safety measures required during the COVID-19 outbreak, refer to the advisory generated by the WHO.