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XtraTime Web Desk: The foreign cricketers participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) this season will need to report straight to their respective franchises at UAE instead of coming to India. The likes of Steve Smith, Ben Stokes will have to travel to Dubai or Abu Dhabi straight from their respective countries. Meanwhile it is also heard that the Australian and English cricketers are likely to miss the first week of the cash rich league this season due to their national commitments.

The Australian ODI team is scheduled to travel to England to play a three match T20 & ODI series in September. The 3rd of the final ODI is to be played on September 16 at the Old Trafford stadium. It is understood that the cricketers participating in IPL 2020 will head straight to Dubai from London the following day i.e., September 17.

Once they reach UAE, as per the UAE government directives the cricketers will have to undergo Covid19 test. Only if they test negative, the players will be allowed to move out from the isolation zone of the UAE government.

This process will take 48 hours. Post that players and the franchises will have to follow the SOP’S set by the BCCI and IPL 2020. This entire process will take 7-10 days before the England & Australian cricketers are allowed to join their respective franchises to participate in the IPL 2020 which will mean they are likely to miss the first week action.

As many as 17 Australian cricketers and 11 English cricketers are contracted with various franchises for the 13th edition of IPL.