"With A Heavy Heart": Dinesh Karthik Recalls How Kolkata Knight Riders Released Chris Lynn

Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Dinesh Karthik has said that the franchise had to let go of Chris Lynn with a heavy heart. The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 will be played from September 19 to November 10 in the UAE across three venues – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. In the players' auction which was held in December last year, Lynn was not retained by the franchise while Morgan was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs. 5.25 crore.

Now, Lynn would be seen in action for the Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020.

"We had to let go off Lynn with a heavy heart, whatever time he spent with the franchise, he was a absolute gun, so are the dynamics of the auction that you have to let go some players, Lynn is somebody I am really fond off, he brings a lot to the table," Karthik said in a video posted on the official website of the IPL.

"Eoin Morgan is there with us for this season, I have met him a couple of times, he is a gem of a guy, being a solid human being is something that everyone looks at, he is a World Cup-winning captain, England is the best white-ball team in the world, I would try to learn from him, he has a great mind," he added

All eight IPL franchises have reached UAE for taking part in the upcoming tournament.

All players and team personnel are required to undergo a six-day quarantine period after landing in the UAE and everyone needs to be tested for Covid-19 thrice.

Once, they all test negative for Covid-19, the players can start training in the UAE with their team-mates.

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.

Both afternoon and evening matches will be played half-an-hour earlier than usual this season.