Days after multiple players pulled out of the Indian Premier League citing the ongoing COVID-19 situation, two prominent umpires have opted out of the tournament.
Nitin Menon and Paul Reiffel, a former Australian all-rounder, are both part of the ICC's elite panel of umpires. The Indian Express reported both withdrew from the IPL citing personal reasons.
“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 back-up, so they will be officiating in games in which Menon and Reiffel were scheduled to stand,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.
On Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison had said Australian cricketers continuing to play the IPL would have to make their own arrangements to return home after the country suspended direct passenger services to India.
“They have travelled there privately. This wasn't part of an Australian tour. They're under their own resources and they'll be using those resources too, I'm sure, to see them return to Australia in accordance with their own arrangements," Morrison was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
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Australian players Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson and Adam Zampa had pulled out of the IPL, citing fears of not being able to return, while England's Liam Livingstone withdrew, citing fatigue with the 'bio-secure bubble' system. India's Ravichandran Ashwin also pulled out, citing the need to be with his family who have been infected.
Menon and Reiffel are the first match officials to pull out of the IPL midway. The Indian Express reported, "The BCCI was expecting another Australian umpire, Rod Tucker, to fly to India for IPL, but he too has informed the board that he won’t be making it to the sub-continent due to personal reasons."