Abu Dhabi: The much-delayed Indian Premier League (IPL) starts tomorrow (Sept. 19) without its customary glitz and glamour, but the Twenty20 tournament is expected to be a welcome relief to cricket fans during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The short-form extravaganza normally starts in March-April but along with other major international sporting events was postponed as countries went into virus lockdowns. It was then moved to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as cases rose in India.

All the eight teams have been in strict, bio-secure ‘bubbles’ since landing in the UAE, with the competition set to kick off when defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 19.

There will be no gala opening ceremony for the world’s richest T20 league and the games will be played behind closed doors at three venues including Dubai and Sharjah.

Yet President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly, expects a surge in viewership for the 13th edition with the matches scheduled for India’s evening primetime TV slots.

IPL SCHEDULE

Tomorrow’s Match (Sept. 19)

MI Vs CSK

Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, 7.30 pm (IST)

Catch live actions on Star Sports, Star Gold, DD Sports