Defending champions Mumbai Indians take on Chennai Super Kings in the first match of IPL 2020. Here is the weather forecast
The delayed Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 starts on Saturday with a titanic clash between last year's finalists, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Sheikh Abu Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). (More Cricket News)
The 7:30 pm IST start (6:00 pm local) is an evening game, but the playing conditions will be harsh. According to the Weather Channel India, "over the next seven days, maximum temperatures will range between 37 to 39°C in all three venues."
The IPL 2020 has been moved out of India due to the rising cases of coronavirus and will be played at three locations in the UAE - Dubai, Adu Dhabi and Sharjah. And "hot and humid weather marks the climate of all three coastal cities hosting this year's IPL for most parts of the year."
The Weather Channel also shared the weekly weather forecast for the IPL 2020:
"While July marks the peak summer for UAE, September also remains extremely hot. The average maximum temperature for September remains above 40°C throughout the first half of September and drops marginally in the second half. The conditions will remain sunny with no possibility of any rain throughout the month.
"The first matchday, Saturday, September 19, is expected to be a hot day in Abu Dhabi, with a maximum temperature of more than 40°C. Similar conditions are expected in Dubai and Sharjah as well. Over the next seven days, maximum temperatures will range between 37 to 39°C in all three venues.
"The match time (6 pm to 10.30 pm local time) temperatures, however, are expected to remain in the range of 32-34°C. Clear skies will prevail over the region during the match hours, from Saturday to next Friday, in all three locations. Slightly windy conditions are expected with wind speeds of more than 10 kmph.
"During the match hours, the humidity could be a significant factor as it crosses 70% as the Sun goes down. The dew point temperatures in all three venues vary between 23-25°C at night time, while the minimum temperatures range between 26-28°C. Therefore, the players could struggle with the hot and sultry conditions while the dew factor could affect bowlers, especially spinners, to grip the ball. The dew at night hours could make the outfield wet, slow and slippery," it said.