"Makes sense to postpone T20 World Cup if teams don't get to prepare" - Jason Roy

The showpiece event is also under threat because of the deadly COVID-19 outbreak.

By Kashish Chadha - 04 May, 2020

England opener Jason Roy says it would make complete sense to postpone the T20 World Cup, scheduled to start in October, if teams can't soon get back on the park and be able to prepare for the showpiece event in Australia due to COVID-19 pandemic. 

Like all other international cricket assignments, the T20 World Cup is also under serious threat because of the deadly outbreak. 

Read Also: "I’m more than happy to play behind closed doors" - Jason Roy

"If players aren't able to prepare in the right way and are not able to get over to Australia, then it makes sense to postpone it," Roy was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

"But if it goes ahead, it's our job to play cricket - and if we're told we have three weeks to prepare to go and play in the World T20, all the boys will be putting the yards in to make sure we're ready for that."

"I think all the boys are on edge, waiting for the call saying, 'Right, we have a month turnaround or a six-week turnaround. Get in the nets and go hit some balls.' I think the boys will be as ready as they can be," added the 29-year-old. 

In UK, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has extended the game's suspension till at least July 1, which Roy thinks is sad but a responsible move. 

"I've got a huge amount of trust in the ECB," he said. "I think they will look into every single avenue of all the positives, all the negatives. So, I guess I would trust in what they say, probably have a chat with Morgs (Morgan) and see where his head's at and go with that."

"I don't think I'll have too many questions, especially when it got to the stage of 'Right, we're going to play', because there'll be a lot of people in those meetings discussing whether it's the right thing to do or not."

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to kickstart on October 18 and run until November 15. 

The 16-team event sees England placed in Group 2 of the Super 12 round, alongside India, South Africa, Afghanistan and two other qualifying teams, who will be determined via the tournament's preliminary round. 

England had finished runners-up at the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2016 in India. 

(Inputs from ESPNcricinfo)

By Kashish Chadha - 04 May, 2020

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