Team Rajasthan Royals are first to reach UAE for IPL 2020

Rajasthan Royals became one of the first teams to reach Dubai for the Indian Premier League 2020, scheduled to take place from September 19.

KXIP’s official handle shared pictures and videos of the players and support staff inside the Dubai-bound aircraft as well as afterwards, dressed in PPE kits and adhering to safety measures.

Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday arrived in the UAE for the IPL beginning September 19, setting the ball rolling for an event that many thought would not take place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Royals and KXIP landed in Dubai via a charter flight, which will be the norm this IPL due to the ongoing health crisis. A little later in the evening, Kolkata Knight Riders arrived in Abu Dhabi, their base for the tournament.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are scheduled to leave for the UAE on August 21, a day after their six-day camp in Chennai to train for the



tournament.

The players, who were already tested multiple times before departure, will now undergo a six-day isolation period with testing on day 1, 3 and 6. If they clear all the tests, they will be eligible to enter the tournament's bio-bubble and start training.

Subsequently, the players and support staff will be tested every fifth day of the tournament.

All three teams posted pictures of their players and support staff before departure. The Royals squad was fully covered in protective gear.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore will arrive in the UAE on Friday while the other two teams, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals, will land over the weekend.

Sixty games will be played over 53 days across three venues -- Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. In 2014, UAE had hosted the IPL partially due to the general elections in India.