NEW DELHI: Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul has said that opening batsman Chris Gayle will be a part of the core group of the side for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020.
The IPL 2020 will be played from September 19-November 10 in the UAE across three venues --Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
"We at Kings XI Punjab have had a great experience with Chris and me luckily, I have played with him for years now, we have shared great friendship, we have had some partnerships in the middle, he is a great guy to have in the team," Rahul said in a video posted on the official website of the IPL.
"He will be a part of our core group, with the kind of experience he has, he will be somebody who will win matches for us," he added.
Gayle has played 24 matches for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, managing to score 858 runs with his highest score being 104 not out in the 2018 edition.
Most likely, Gayle and Rahul would come out to open the batting for the side in the upcoming 2020 edition.
All eight IPL franchises have reached UAE for taking part in the upcoming tournament.
As per the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs), the BCCI has already told the franchises that the players have to undergo a mandatory seven-day quarantine period after arriving in the UAE.
As per SOPs issued by the BCCI, the players have to undergo RT-PCR tests on Day 1, 3, and 6 of the quarantine phase and then they will be entering the bio-bubble provided they test negative on all three occasions.
The final match of the 2020 edition is scheduled to be played on a weekday, i.e. Tuesday, for the first time in the history of the T20 tournament.
This time, both the afternoon and evening matches will be played half-an-hour earlier than usual.