Worried cricketers pull out of the Indian Premier League and hurry home as daily Covid deaths pass 2,800 and new cases reach 350,000 – as media outlets begin to BOYCOTT the ‘tone-deaf’ mega-money tournament
- The Indian Premier League is coming in for criticism for continuing its season
- A new strain of the coronavirus has caused deaths and cases to soar in India
- At least four stars have already withdrawn from the current campaign over fears
- One newspaper group are boycotting coverage over a lack of response from IPL
Frightened professional cricketers are giving up their lucrative IPL contracts and withdrawing from this year’s comepetition over fears of the growing Covid emergency in India.
Australians Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson are the latest to announce they are leaving the country and heading back to their native country as deaths and cases continue to spike.
They follow Rajasthan Royals bowler Andrew Tye in forfeiting their deals, while India international Ravichandran Ashwin has also withdrawn to support his family.
Overnight, India recorded 2,812. New infections in last 24-hours rose to 352,991 – another new global record.
England ODI international Liam Livingstone left last week, while Test star Jofra Archer decided against taking up his place in the competition before it began.
Livingstone cited his ‘bubble fatigue’ from the past year as a reason behind his decision to quit the Rajasthan Royals’ camp.
The IPL is continuing to play in six cities across India, despite the alarming medical situation across the country.
Life-saving oxygen and hospital beds are running low, while it is thought that deaths caused by Covid are being under-reported. Makeshift crematoriums are being set up to cope with the rise in deaths.
MORE TO FOLLOW
Australia’s Adam Zampa is one of the players to pull out of the IPL over coronavirus concerns
India is recording nearly 3,000 coronavirus deaths per day as the country struggles to cope
Makeshift crematoriums have been set up across the country, such as this one in Dehli
India, with a population of 1.3 billion, has a tally of 17.31 million infections and 195,123 deaths, after 2,812 deaths overnight, health ministry data showed, although health experts say the death count is probably far higher. Pictured: A graph showing new Covid-19 deaths per-day
Coronavirus infections in India over the last 24 hours rose to 352,991 on Monday – a record peak for a fifth day running
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