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Xtra Time Web Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly has declared the IPL 2021 matches will go ahead in Mumbai as per schedule despite the surge in COVID-19 cases in the state. In an interview to a leading newspaper, the BCCI President said,

 “The IPL matches will be held in Mumbai. Once you are in a bubble nothing happens. Even in the UAE last season, there were a few such incidents in the lead-up to the event but once the tournament started everything was fine,” said Ganguly in an interview to The Telegraph.

“We have got the necessary permission and assurances from the state government to conduct matches there. Mumbai will be hosting only ten matches between April 10 to 25 and there will be nothing to worry inside the bio-bubble. We are in a well-secured set-up and the players and support staff will be safe,” the BCCI president insisted.

In the last 48 hours, various stakeholders, workers connected with IPL 2021 have tested positive in Mumbai. At least 10 groundsman at Wankhede tested positive. Three cricketers Nitish Rana (KKR), Axar Patel (DC) and Devdutt Padikkal (RCB) have all tested positive. Rana has already joined KKR training session after having tested negative twice. But the BCCI officials are confident that matches in Mumbai can be conducted without any major issues.