The clock to Indian Premier League 2020 (IPL) is ticking very fast and the players don’t have much time left to get themselves acclimatised to the hot conditions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). When time is at a premium, players don’t want to miss any training session. After completing their mandatory quarantine period, Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab began their preparations soon after. To beat the UAE’s blazing heat, players from both the teams decided to train after sunset. Both franchises posted several pictures and videos from their team’s net sessions on their respective social media handles.

Despite training post-sunset, the hot conditions in the UAE still posed a great challenge to the players and it was evident in a video tweeted by the Kings XI Punjab where their skipper KL Rahul could be heard describing the challenge posed by the high temperature.

It really is a good morning, isn’t it? #SaddaPunjab #Dream11IPL @klrahul11 pic.twitter.com/2rxiaRQx6p

— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) August 27, 2020

“Been at home for so long, just getting a chance to be out in the middle with the team and get a hit is very very good,” Rahul said in the video tweeted by Kings XI Punjab.

“Conditions are really really hot. I really would have loved to bat in temperature much cooler but yeah happy we that we can be outdoors and do what we love,” he added.

Promoted

Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab were among first IPL sides to reach the UAE for the IPL 2020. The 13th edition of the cash-rich league was originally scheduled to start in March but had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will now begin on September 19.

The matches will be played across three venues — Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah and the tournament will come to an end on November 10.