IPL 2021: Umpires Nitin Menon, Paul Reiffel pull out of IPL, says report

Troubles for IPL 2021 are far from over. After cricketers, umpires Menon and Reiffel pulled out of IPL amid the rising number of COVID cases in India. As per reports, ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires Nitin Menon and Australian Paul Reiffel withdrew from the current edition of the IPL citing personal reasons. 

Menon flew to Indore after his mother and wife tested positive for the virus. Reiffel flew back to Australia just days after the government banned flights from India till May 15.

“Nitin has a small child to look after as his mother and wife have tested positive while Reiffel informed BCCI that he fears not being able to go home due to the Australian government’s decision banning all flights from India. The BCCI already had several local umpires as backup so they will be officiating in games in which Menon and Reiffel were scheduled to stand,” a BCCI official told Indian Express.

IPL 2021: Who all pulled out of the edition

Many players like R Ashwin withdrew from the IPL recently. Earlier Aussies Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa also pulled out of the game. England’s Liam Livingstone had also left RR after bubble fatigue.

Earlier, BCCI’s interim chief executive officer Hemang Amin reassured all the officials and players arrangements will be made for their transport back home once the tournament gets over.

“The BCCI is monitoring the situation very closely and is working with the government authorities to make arrangements to get you home once the tournament concludes. Be rest assured that the tournament is not over for BCCI till each one of you has reached your home, safe and sound,” he wrote in an email, the report added.

Before this, MI players Chris Lynn had asked for a charter plane to go back to Australia but Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison clarified that no special preferences would be made for players playing IPL.