Cricket News Today: Hardik Pandya talks about mental challenges he endured, availability of foreign players in IPL and more - 12th March 2020  

#2 Hardik Pandya closing in on a unique milestone

Hardik Pandya will be one of the leading men for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL this year

Hardik Pandya is all set to return to action as India host South Africa in a three-match ODI series. Pandya had undergone back surgery and was ruled out for a couple of months. The all-rounder last played in the third T20I against South Africa at Bangalore in September last year.

With a return to the national team setup, Pandya needs to score just 43 runs to become the 13th Indian cricketer to record a tally of 1000 runs and 50 ODI wickets. This just underlines the value he brings to the national team and will be a key figure in the future.

Pandya is also set to play a massive role for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL as the franchise looks to defend their crown.

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#3 Availability of foreign players in question for IPL 2020

A lot of foreign players are essential cogs in their respective franchise's setup

Another blow to the Indian Premier League due to the outbreak of coronavirus is the possibility of the foreign players missing the IPL till April 15th. With more than 70 people in the country testing positive for COVID-19, strict visa restrictions are in place.

With the IPL set to begin on March 29, there will be no foreign players on show until the 15th of April. It's a big blow to the franchises as a lot of these foreign superstars are essential figures in the team and their absence will be clearly evident.

The tournament itself seems to be in question now as a couple of state governments are denying to host any matches due to the fear of the coronavirus spreading.