It was terrifying: David Warner on COVID-19 situation in India during IPL 2021

Sydney, June 2: Australia cricketer David Warner on Wednesday (June 2) opened up about the raging COVID-19 pandemic and about his stay in India during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the Sunrisers Hyderabad opener said it was terrifying to see the visuals of mass cremations in the country.

Warner and fellow Australians involved in the IPL 2021 flew to the Maldives after the tournament was suspended last month and entry for travellers from India was banned at home. The cricketers were finally able to reunite with their families earlier this week after a 14-day quarantine upon arrival. The southpaw recalled the grim scenes in India at the peak of the second wave.

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"I think it would really hit home when everyone saw that piece on TV about what was happening in India with the oxygen," Warner, who played for Sunrisers Hyderabad, said on Nova's Fitzy and Wippa programme.

"People on the streets lining up to cremate their family numbers, we did see that a couple of times going to and from the grounds. Yeah, open fields and stuff, you know it was terrifying. It was just really upsetting."

Warner said it was right to suspend the IPL after multiple cases were reported in its bio-bubble.

"From a humanitarian point of view, I think the right decision was made. It got into the bubble which was obviously going to be a challenge when we started moving, so getting on and off aircraft, but look they did their best to try and put it on there and we know in India that everyone loves cricket. "It was challenging, we had to get out of there ASAP," he added.