The uncertainty over the fate of Men’s T20 World Cup scheduled to be played in India is expected to end by June 1 when the Executive Meeting of the ICC is scheduled to be held. According to a report, the game’s global governing body will discuss the possibility of whether it will be safe to host the marquee event in India considering it’s current covid-19 situation.
There are speculations that the tournament may be shifted to the UAE with India battling a deadly second wave of coronavirus pandemic and experts predicting a third wave as well. The concerns have arisen since the suspension of IPL 2021 midway through the season earlier this month after the growing cases inside the various team bubbles.
“The ICC is not unaware of the situation but one cannot speculate on what will be the decision on June 1. One has to wait and see,” a source privy to the development quoted as saying.
However, BCCI is going to hold its Special General Meeting (SGM) on May 29 meaning they could prepare their case for not shifting the tournament out of the country.
Meanwhile, the Indian cricket board has reportedly put in an informal request with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to advance the start of India-England Test series by a week so as to carve out a window for the completion of IPL 2021. ECB, as per a report, has denied having received any such communication from BCCI.
Former England captain Michael Atherton says that the request, if true, will put to test the relationship between the cricket boards of the two countries considering what’s at stake.
“The request puts the ECB in a tricky position, stuck between the rock of wanting to maintain good relations with the most powerful cricket nation as well as being as flexible and helpful as possible given the postponement of the game’s most financially lucrative competition, and the hard place of not impacting on their own carefully planned domestic schedule,” Atherton wrote in Times London.
Atherton though reckons it will be hard for ECB to accommodate any such request now.
