ICC has reportedly put UAE as the venue for this year’s T20 World Cup on standby, seeing India witnessed an unprecedented Covid-19 surge.
The rising Covid-19 cases in India could jeopardize the country’s hopes of hosting the T20 World Cup this year. While questions have been raised over the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s decision to continue organizing the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 amid an unprecedented rise in the number of Covid-19 cases, doubts over the T20 World Cup happening this year in India have also started to emerge.
ICC Puts UAE On Standby In Case India Can’t Organize T20I World Cup Amidst Rising Covid-19 Cases
As per a report in Dailymail, the United Arab Emirates has been put on standby by ICC as the venue for this year’s T20 World Cup in a scenario where the current covid-19 situation in India makes organizing the tournament in the country difficult. Although the showpiece event is almost about 6 months away, the ICC is preparing itself for all possible scenarios.
The T20 World Cup was supposed to happen last year in Australia but was postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus outbreak worldwide. The second wave of the virus, however, is causing utter chaos in India, with the country reporting over 3,50,000 cases on a daily basis.
UAE Has Less Population And BCCI Has A Good Rapport With Emirates Cricket Board While Hosting IPL 2020 There
UAE has a considerably less population when compared to India which makes organizing a tournament of the magnitude of the T20 World Cup amid Covid fairly convenient. The BCCI has a good rapport with the Emirates Cricket Board, having also held the 2020 edition of IPL in UAE across three venues.
The board decided to organize the 2021 edition of the IPL in India after the Covid surge had calmed down to a large extent. However, just days before the tournament began, the country was struck by the second wave of the virus, the result of which has so far been devastating.
India had proposed 9 venues for the T20 World Cup this year. An ICC delegation is also currently in the country for the same. The BCCI intends to hold the final of the T20 World Cup at the Motera Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium, where a few international and IPL matches have already been held.
India was confirmed as the hosts for ICC T20 World Cup 2021. On the other hand, Australia will host the marquee event in 2022.
The T20 World Cup which was scheduled to be held in Australia from October 18, 2020, was postponed in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making way for the cash-rich IPL 2020 in the United Arab Emirates. The T20 World Cup in 2021 will be the seventh edition of the tournament and the first since 2016.