IPL 2020: It will be nice to have more details, says Kane Williamson

Dubai: New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who leads the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is happy at the possibility of the cash-rich league going ahead but wants to know more about it before committing to play in the event.

“By all accounts the IPL, they’re looking to host that tournament which is a fantastic tournament to be a part of and attracts such an incredible audience,’’ he said on the sidelines of a New Zealand training session at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Wednesday.

“It will be great to play in it and be a part of it. But there’s a lot of details to come through before any final decisions will be made. It will be nice to know more,” said one of the world’s premier batsman.

“(There’s) nothing concrete, with the postponement (of the T20 World Cup) announced only a day or two ago, no doubt there’s a lot of organising that needs to be done or any sort of decision is made, and I guess they are wanting to make sure that things are planned before speaking to players with any certainty,’’ the soft-spoken cricketer said.

The postponement of the men’s T20 World Cup in Australia - from October 18 to November 15 - due to COVID-19 pandemic, has paved the way for IPL to take place this year. The BCCI is planning to stage the tournament in UAE.

“Throughout this time there’s been a natural lack of content so there is a real drive to see that (IPL) happen and see it happen safely, which is first and foremost. It’s a shame to see the World Cup be postponed but I suppose it’s the nature of what we’re faced with in the current climate but exciting at the potential opportunity individually to see some cricket come on to the horizon.

“But I think a lot of people will be looking forward to that opportunity if at all it goes ahead safely.

“Like a lot of things, even with the season ahead, there’s a lot of speculation and hope for a lot of cricket, much like there’s hope for the IPL to go ahead. But at this point in time it’s sort of coming back after a break, easing back into cricket and hope that these things will happen,” said Williamson, who led New Zealand to the 2019 World Cup final where they lost to England.

“It’s such an incredible time and having to consider these things,” Williamson said of the situation.

“Nobody would have thought in their lifetime that you would have to think like this and those things do run through your mind.

“Everybody perhaps has a slightly different view and perspective on it depending on their situation and their own ideas but from my perspective, if the safety was ensured - I know as a country it’s been incredible the way we’ve been able to handle it but we’re a small part of the world and to a large extent we’re all in it together,” he reflected.