IPL 2021: "Our IPL players safely back in the Caribbean” - Cricket West Indies

Cricket West Indies (CWI), on Sunday, confirmed that their players and members of the TV production, who were part of IPL 2021 in India, have landed safely in the Caribbean.

IPL 2021 had to be indefinitely postponed earlier this week after multiple cases of COVID-19 emerged in the tournament’s bio-bubble.

Once the BCCI and the IPL governing council decided to temporarily halt IPL 2021, the organizers and the franchises immediately worked towards sending the overseas players back home, arranging charter flights.

On Sunday, CWI took to their official Twitter account and posted:

"Our IPL players, along with the West Indians who were part of the TV production, are now safely back in the Caribbean.”

CWI shared the details along with a picture of Sunil Narine and Kieron Pollard displaying the thumbs up sign on their arrival in the Caribbean.

Windies cricket board CEO Johnny Grave also thanked the BCCI and the IPL 2021 organizers for arranging the safe return of West Indians who were part of the T20 league in India.

Grave wrote:

"We are grateful to the @BCCI and IPL Franchises for arranging their safe travel back to the Caribbean so quickly."

Pollard (Mumbai Indians), Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders), Andre Russell (KKR), Shimron Hetmyer (Delhi Capitals) and Dwayne Bravo (Chennai Super Kings) were among the prominent West Indian names to feature in IPL 2021.

"Our IPL players, along with the West Indians who were part of the TV production, are now safely back in the Caribbean. We are grateful to the @BCCI and IPL Franchises for arranging their safe travel back to the Caribbean so quickly." - CWI CEO @JohnnyGrave📸 @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/68ftnHRATq

— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) May 9, 2021

Second lot of New Zealand players reach home after IPL 2021 suspension

Earlier, the second lot of New Zealand cricketers arrived home, following the temporary suspension of IPL 2021 in India.

According to stuff.co.nz, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming, KKR head coach Brendon McCullum, Lockie Ferguson (KKR), umpire Chris Gaffaney and commentators Simon Doull and Scott Styris arrived in Auckland at around 6 pm on Sunday (local time). The New Zealand contingent came via Tokyo.

On Saturday, fast bowler Trent Boult, Adam Milne, Finn Allen and Jimmy Neesham were among the first lot of New Zealand cricketers to arrive in the country.

Meanwhile, KKR’s Tim Seifert is still in India, having tested positive for COVID-19. NZC chief executive David White said about Seifert’s status:

“It’s really unfortunate for Tim and we’ll do everything for him that we can from this end, and hopefully he will be able to test negative and be cleared and approved for discharge as soon as he’s well again.”

Second lot of New Zealand players arrive home after IPL 2021 suspension https://t.co/G35gujV7ju

— Devdiscourse (@dev_discourse) May 9, 2021

While there is no clarity over the resumption of IPL 2021, reports suggest that the BCCI is exploring a September window.