There Are four more months until Australia’s T20 World Cup, But there’s still debate about whether to postpone or continue the event. On Wednesday, the ICC will meet again electronically as the sixteen competing nations wait for a word as to whether or not the event will take place.
Australia’s health situation improvement may raise expectations for the T20 World Cup. Still, with sus improving pended international travel, quarantine rules and extra expenses involved, no crowds and rusty cricketers, it seems increasingly difficult to stage the big-ticket event. For example, ICC’s guidelines for returning to T20 cricket recommends at least five weeks of training ahead of a match, and players in many countries, including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, have not yet returned to some training.
A resolution on the World Cup was shelved by the governing body to attend an internal communication leakage during the last ICC meeting held two weeks back. Subsequently, an ethics inquiry was initiated, and the ICC CEO is scheduled to share its findings at the meeting. A timeframe for ICC presidential elections is also on the list.
Arun Dhumal, the BCCI treasurer, said the fans are expecting the ICC to decide for the T20 World Cup. The boards of ICC have their meeting to attend, and the final decision should be made by then.
The decision to postpone the Asia Cup was also postponed at an Asian cricket council (ACC) meeting on Monday, although pulling off a six-nation competition in three months seems impossible. Chairman Ehsan Mani of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is reportedly considering running for ICC Chairmanship. Mani also heads the Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee of the ICC, which has no representation from the BCCI. BCCI blames the current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar for wiping off India ‘s presence from the crucial ICC finance committee, with Mani ‘s help. Manohar also scuttled the proposed “Big Three” formula after he became ICC chairman, which would have given the ICC a significantly higher share of revenue to BCCI.
Chairman Colin Graves of England and Wales cricket board (ECB) is the frontrunner to replace Manohar in July. That is if he receives support from BCCI. The Indian board is not revealing its position, but the name of BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has also done the rounds for the chair of the ICC.
If it’s agreed to postpone the T20 World Cup, the other window would have to be sought for it as well. Cricket Australia prefers postponing it to October 2021, but it’s India ‘s turn to host a T20 World Cup next year and BCCI won’t want to mess with that.
