The sporting events across the globe have received a major jolt amid the rise of the coronavirus pandemic. It has forced all the cricketing activities to shut including the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was postponed until April 14. And now, if reports are to be believed the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 in Australia is likely to get deferred.
The forthcoming season of the tournament was scheduled to commence from October 18 in Australia. But with the current situation and the host country sealing its border for the next six months, the future of the tournament looks gloomy. West Indies are the defending champions who lifted the trophy in 2016.
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If reports are to be believed, the T20 World Cup 2020 is likely to be postponed to the year 2022 as there is no playing window available in 2021. India is scheduled to tour Australia in October-November, followed by the Big Bash League and then the Indian Premier League in April-May – the schedule looks impossible for International Cricket Council to host the global event in 2020 and in early 2021.
Meanwhile, as per the Future Tour Program, the international body is going to organize two back to back T20 World Cups. However, now, it will be inappropriate to organize two- showpiece events in a year. With India scheduled to host the 2021 World Cup, it is only sensible to host it 2022.
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“The question being internally discussed was to postpone it but there was no status quo on ‘until when?’ Well, India is scheduled to tour Australia in December. Early next year, Australia have their Big Bash scheduled. March would not be an ideal time (with IPL to begin in April) because the broadcaster won’t agree to back-to-back T20 events.
“India is anyway hosting the 2021 T20 World Cup. So, the ideal choice has to be 2022,” the source said as quoted by The Times of India.
The next few days will be very crucial as per the cricketing actions in 2020 is concerned as COVID-19 has shown no signs of improvement.
