IPL in UAE: Kolkata Knight Riders check into Abu Dhabi

Kolkata Knight Riders landed in Abu Dhabi late on Thursday for the IPL beginning on September 19, joining Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab as the three early arrivals for the competition.

Kolkata's arrival means the ball is now well and truly rolling for an event that many thought would not take place amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

KKR ensured all safety protocols were in place before, during and after the flight, including masks, gloves and pre-flight testing.

Rajasthan and KXIP landed in Dubai via a charter flight, which will be the norm this IPL due to the ongoing health crisis. Later in the evening, KKR arrived in Abu Dhabi, their base 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.

Defending champions Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore will arrive in the UAE on Friday while the 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.