Being a successful domestic T20 league, the Indian Premier League has provided tremendous opportunities for youngsters till now to rub shoulders beside game’s stalwarts and spend time with them. However, in 2013 fixing fiasco took the sheen off BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) and cash-rich league feels that the opening ceremony of IPL will take 90 minutes between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians champions. The first game may again open up the doors for potential fixers.
On April 7, as per itinerary, the opening ceremony is expected end at 7:15 pm by the organizers and the field is expected to get cleared completely by 7:30 pm. Then, two captains, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma will come for tossing. Also, it is clear that the two teams will have to come at 7:15 pm for training and one bowling end is required to be clear so that the preparations of teams don’t get affected.
These rules made it crystal clear that those who arrive to remove makeshift stages, other material and props, are required to stay for 15 minutes on the ground with two teams during 7:15 - 7:30. Well, this is quite enough time for event organizer staff to approach the players. This thing is exactly what the concern of BCCI is as obviously they don’t want to take undue risk.
A senior official of BCCI said in an interview that the treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry asked the Committee of Administrators to look into this matter so that it can be ensured that there is no scope to act as crew members, workers or don’t have the possibility to approach any player for possible fixers. This is because there would be 15 minutes after the show with cricketers before it gets underway.
