MUMBAI: The T20 World Cup 2020, scheduled to be to be held in October-November in Australia, is “is all but certain” to be officially postponed when International Cricket Council (ICC) officials meet this Friday, reports in the Australian media indicate.
This opens up a window for the BCCI to host this year’s Indian Premier League in the slot vacated by the ICC tournament. IPL 2020 is expected to be played either in the UAE (SportzPower’s odds on favourite), Sri Lanka or extreme long shot New Zealand (the country’s board has thrown its hat in the ring but that possibility will leave domestic advertisers stone cold due to its India unfriendly time zones).
The development came even as the Times of India reported that the BCCI is drawing up a tentative window for the IPL without waiting for official word from the ICC, working under the assumption that it was no more about IF the World Cup would be called off, but WHEN.
“The year started on a horrible note and theres been no relief on any front. But as time goes by, we need to take things head on and ensure that we remain prepared for any eventuality. Cricket is no different. It is time for the BCCI to start planning for the year ahead,” BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal told the daily.
“Those announcements and outcomes are not in our hands. The T20 World Cup, for instance, is being postponed so let the announcement come when it has to,” Dhumal said.
IPL governing council chairman Brijesh Patel has said last month that they are just waiting on the decision on the T20 World Cup and are prepared to hold the IPL in September and October.
“Yes we are ready to go with IPL in September-October window, everything is planned and ready. Will have to follow the guidelines and SOPs, for medical and other things,” Patel was quoted as saying by ANI in June.
“We are waiting for the announcement from ICC on T20 World Cup. If it is not happening, we can hold IPL,” he had said.
The ICC last month deferred a decision on the T20 World Cup to July.
“We will only get one chance to make this decision and it needs to be the right one and as such we will continue to consult with our Members, broadcasters, partners, governments and players and to ensure that we make a well-informed decision,” ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney had said after its board meeting in June.
Cricket Australia chairman Earl Edding had admitted last month that holding the T20 World Cup in 2020 is “unrealistic”.
“While it hasn’t been formally called off this year, or postponed, trying to get 16 countries into Australia in the current world, where most countries are still going through COVID spiking, I think it’s unrealistic, or it’s going to be very, very difficult,” he had told reporters.
