XtraTime Web Desk: Indian Premier League heavyweights Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders Began their training sessions for the IPL 2020 at the Sheikh Zayed international Cricket Stadium academy in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) trained early in the evening, on the other hand defending champions Mumbai Indians practicesed under flood lights in two different groups.
With strict quarantine protocols in place, there were talks that both KKR and MI could end up being under quarantine for 14 days. But the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) officials after a meeting with BCCI team of officials led by IPL GC Brijesh Patel, obtained the necessary permission from the Emirates of Abu Dhabi to relax the mandatory quarantine norms for both franchises. The meeting took place on Thursday.
“Feels great to be back in the middle, doing what we do best! It’s been a challenging period of quarantine for the Knights, but we all know how important it was for everyone’s well-being,” the Knights tweeted after their training session.
As per the BCCI SOP, the players were tested on days 1, 3 and 6 upon their arrival in UAE, and the clearances were given after tests of both the teams returned negative.