IPL 2020 — the most surreal season ever. No cheerleaders, no crowd noise (except fake audio), and a cricket bubble like never before. So why was the entire tournament moved to the UAE?
Let’s break it down like a highlight reel 👇
🦠 Why Was IPL 2020 Fully Held in the UAE?
😷 1. COVID-19 Pandemic Shuts Everything Down
-
The original IPL 2020 was supposed to start in March in India.
-
But then... COVID-19 hit, and India went into lockdown.
-
Stadiums, flights, training grounds — everything was shut.
📆 2. BCCI Postponed... Then Rebooted in September
-
With the COVID wave stabilizing a bit by mid-2020, BCCI looked for ways to safely host the tournament.
-
India still had rising case numbers, and organizing IPL across multiple cities was too risky.
-
So the solution? Move the entire IPL to the UAE, which had:
✅ Lower case count
✅ Fewer cities (easier to manage)
✅ Proven track record from 2014
✅ World-class stadiums & hotels
🧼 3. Bio-Bubbles: The New Normal
-
UAE IPL 2020 was bio-bubble central.
-
Players, staff, broadcasters — everyone was:
-
It was like a “cricket island” inside Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
👥 4. No Crowds, But TV Viewership Exploded
-
All matches were played behind closed doors.
-
But guess what? IPL 2020 recorded the highest-ever TV and streaming numbers up to that point.
-
Fans were stuck at home, craving live sports — and IPL became the event of the year.
🏟️ 5. Single Country = Seamless Scheduling
-
Only 3 stadiums (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah).
-
Tight scheduling, reduced travel risk, and less chance of disruption.
🧠 TL;DR:
IPL 2020 was held fully in the UAE because the COVID-19 pandemic made it unsafe to host in India. The UAE offered controlled environments, great facilities, and helped the BCCI pull off a flawless, bio-secure season.
Want to dive into how the bubble worked behind the scenes? Or which teams thrived under lockdown cricket pressure (👀 MI)? Let’s break the bubble open 🧪🔥