IPL 2021 to begin on April 9: BCCI source
New Delhi, Mar 6: The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on April 9, exactly 12 days after the Indian cricket team completes its ongoing assignment against England, a BCCI source revealed on Saturday.
The third and last match of the ODI series against England will be held on March 28 in Pune. The duration of the popular T20 league has been fixed keeping in mind India's international schedule.
"We have provisionally decided that IPL will start on April 9 and end on May 30," a senior BCCI source told PTI.
"The formal approval of dates and venues will be done during Governing Council meeting next week," the source added.
Considering the prevailing circumstances when efforts are being made to minimise the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI has decided to host IPL matches in five cities -- Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Delhi and Ahmedabad.
The city of Mumbai will have to get clearance for hosting matches as the state of Maharashtra has seen a spurt in cases of late.
The allotment of matches to Chennai and Kolkata would be done, keeping in mind the state Assembly election scheduled there in the next few weeks.
Mumbai Indians had won the 2020 edition that was held in the UAE in a bio-secure bubble.
Also, the Asia Cup, that was scheduled in June this year in India, stands cancelled " now that India have qualified for the World Test Championship final, courtesy their 3-1 series win over England."
India beat England by a comprehensive margin of an innings and 25 runs on Saturday in the fourth and final Test to finish on top of the ICC Test championship table with 520 points. They will take on New Zealand in June at the Lord's for the inaugural title.
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Snowfall blocks two key roads providing alternative connectivity to Kashmir
Rajouri/Jammu (PTI): Traffic on the Mughal and Sinthan Top roads, which provide alternate connectivity to Kashmir, was temporarily suspended on Sunday due to light to moderate snowfall in the high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
However, traffic on the 270-kilometre Jammu-Srinagar national highway -- the only all weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country -- was plying as usual despite intermittent rains that ended the over one-and-a-half months long dry spell, they said.
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The Mughal road, which connects the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with south Kashmir's Shopian, was closed for traffic as a precautionary measure after more than three inches of snow was recorded at Peer Ki Gali on Sunday afternoon.
A group of three tea vendors are left stranded on the road and efforts are on to evacuate them to safety, officials said.
After they were trapped in the snow, the vendors made passionate appeals through video messages urging the authorities to rescue them. The Border Roads Organisation has taken up snow clearance work and is trying to reach the stranded persons, officials said.
The Sinthan Top road, which connects Kishtwar and Doda districts in Jammu with south Kashmir's Anantnag, was also closed after moderate snowfall in the higher reaches.
Both the mountainous roads usually remain closed for several months due to heavy snowfall during winter.
