IPL in UAE: extensive testing and bio-bubbles to keep world cricket stars safe

Hundreds of hotel staff in Dubai and Abu Dhabi tested before players arrive for conclusion of Covid-hit tournament

Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore) $2.3million - Cricket’s most bankable player is the top earner in the league, with wages of 170 million rupees for the season. AFP

Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders) $2.1m - Australian newspapers have pointed out that Cummins has three million reasons to want the IPL to go ahead – which is the amount in Aussie dollars he is set to earn. AFP

MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) $2m - The India and CSK great is showing his age, according to some. Tell that to his bank manager. AFP

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) $2m - He is the multi-title winning captain of the franchise with the highest brand value in the competition, so it stands to reason he would be well remunerated. AFP

Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals) $1.7m - Displaced by Pat Cummins as the costliest overseas signing in the competition, but he is still not short of a bob or two. AFP

Steve Smith (Rajasthan Royals) $1.6m - Rajasthan Royals started Smith’s reintegration after the ball-tampering controversy of 2018 cost him Australia’s captaincy. It was not long before he got the Royals’ armband back. AFP

David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad) $1.6m - It is a coincidence the two Australian IPL stars who were culpable in 'Sandpapergate' in 2018 both command the same fee in the league. AFP

Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings) $1.46m - During lockdown, Raina suggested the Indian board should consider allowing their players to go abroad to try other leagues, too. AFP

Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians) $1.46m - Before he had even played IPL cricket, Pandya had Mumbai Indians wallpaper on his phone, as he was such a fanboy. Now he is one of their best paid players. AFP

AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore) $1.46m - Seemingly flirting with a return to South Africa’s international side, so it would be interesting to see what would happen if IPL did clash with the T20 World Cup. AFP

KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab) $1.46m - The stylish opener is ranked No 2 in the world for batsmen in T20 international cricket. AFP

Manish Pandey (Sunrisers Hyderabad) $1.46m - Probably the least well-known of the IPL’s highest earners, but he has been a consistent performer in the competition down the years. AFP

Glenn Maxwell (Kings XI Punjab) $1.43m - Returns to the competition after a year out, and to the franchise he represented when the tournament was played in UAE in 2014. AFP

Chris Morris (Royal Challengers Bangalore) $1.3m - His base price at the auction was 15 million rupees. The South African ended up going for 100 million instead. AFP

Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad) $.1.2m - The Afghan was termed the best spinner in the world by Sachin Tendulkar not too long ago. AFP

Krunal Pandya (Mumbai Indians) $1.16m - The other half of the set of brothers for the champions, and he is nearly as costly as Hardik. AFP

Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders) $1.12m - Narine has never played for anyone else in the IPL other than KKR, which shows how highly valued he is in Kolkata. AFP

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Sunrisers Hyderabad) $1.12m - The India seamer has been the pace bowling mainstay for Sunrisers for years now. AFP

Sheldon Cottrell (Kings XI Punjab) $1.12m - Caught the eye at the 50-over World Cup, then gave the franchises a nudge again with wickets against India ahead of the auction. AFP

More than 30,000 PCR tests will be conducted on Indian Premier League cricketers and staff during the T20 tournament set to resume in the UAE next week.

Players and officials will be tested once every three days in keeping with stringent safety protocols to detect cases of Covid-19.

When the IPL was held in the UAE last year, players were tested every five days.

This year’s season was suspended in India in May after several players and support crew tested positive during a surge in coronavirus cases.

Cricket authorities decided to move the remaining 31 games to the UAE, where matches will take place in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah from September 19 with the final on October 15.

VPS Healthcare nurses and medical staff will stay in the same 14 hotel bio-bubbles as the cricketers.

The company was reappointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India to provide medical care for India’s popular T20 tournament for the second consecutive year.

Two medical teams staffed with doctors, nurses, paramedics and lab technicians will be placed at each stadium during matches.

A 100-strong medical team has been set up to manage Covid-19 and handle sports management during the IPL.

UAE set to renew IPL testing drive

More than 750 hotel employees at 14 hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi were tested even before cricketers began arriving last month to adhere to the tournament’s quarantine guidelines.

Testing began on August 13 for two teams, the Mumbai Indians in Abu Dhabi and the Chennai Super Kings in Dubai.

VPS can conduct 2,000 PCR tests for the IPL daily with results released in six to eight hours.

“We are committed to ensuring a safe environment for the players and other BCCI stakeholders throughout the tournament,” said Dr Shajir Gaffar, chief executive of VPS Healthcare.

“Our team is completely equipped to take care of the medical needs of the IPL participants.

“We are confident that we can provide a great sporting experience for this year’s IPL as well.”

About 80 hospital visits and 156 injuries were treated in VPS hospitals during the 2020 IPL season in the UAE.

UAE becomes cricket capital of the world

Two days after the IPL is completed in the UAE, the T20 World Cup begins in the emirates.

Dr Gaffar said the country was well positioned to be recognised as a trusted sporting destination.

“With the second leg of the IPL and ICC T20 World Cup happening back-to-back, the UAE can solidify its pioneering position as a safe global sporting destination,” he said.

“The UAE has a good strike rate in seamlessly conducting high-profile sports events during the pandemic.

"Even in these challenging times, the country is setting new benchmarks in expertly managing international sporting tournaments through its state-of-the art stadiums, watertight measures and well-trained personnel.”

Apart from monitoring PCR tests for all personnel involved in the IPL, medics will also provide emergency treatment, sports medicine and air ambulance support during the games.

Injured players will be treated at VPS hospitals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, and players requiring an air ambulance will be taken to Burjeel Medical City.

A total of 13 IPL matches will be played in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah and eight in Abu Dhabi. The final will be held in Dubai.