Cricket Australia CEO Kevin Roberts said planning will continue for this year's Men's T20 World Cup to be held on time despite the COVID-19 crisis that has had a massive impact on the cricketing calendar across the globe. The tournament is scheduled to kickstart on October 18 with its preliminary round and conclude with the marquee final at the MCG on November 15.
Various cricket boards have already either indefinitely postponed or fully cancelled their immediate international and domestic fixtures in wake of the pandemic.
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And with no clarity on when can the situation be fully controlled, there are fears that the showpiece event this winter may also be affected.
However, the CA chief is hoping the circumstances will improve by then and allow the tournament to go-ahead as per schedule.
"We're really hoping that all forms of sport can be played again in a few weeks or a few months' time," Roberts told reporters on Tuesday (March 17).
"None of us are experts in this situation obviously, so our hope is that we're back in very much normal circumstances come October and November when the men's T20 World Cup is to be played."
"And at this stage we're planning on November 15, to have a full house at the MCG to inspire the world through men's cricket as the women's cricketers did here just last week," he said.
Cricket Australia confirmed the cancellation of all remaining domestic fixtures for the season and also announced that its offices will be shut to allow employees safe distancing by working from home until further notice.
"We're focused on the crisis that's facing the country and the world right now," said Roberts, confirming delay over discussions on the next summer's schedule. "That's far bigger than any scheduling discussions in cricket, and as much as we need to keep working on those decisions, we're also not going to bring them forward."
"We're in uncertain times and it's difficult to project what will transpire over the next couple of months. But we will be working though the advice from experts externally as to what are the various scenarios that are plausible, how likely are they, and how do we plan to deal with each of them."
"We're moving now from management of the onset of coronavirus as a critical incident, to how do we guarantee the continuity of our business and our organisation beyond that," he continued. "So we're moving from the reactive to the more proactive, and forming a team of business continuity experts that work through all of that over the coming months."
All other matters have lowered amid priorities, with the day to day dealing against the pandemic now quite high in the pecking order.
"We all love cricket, we all love sport but there is a bigger issue here and cricket's intent on playing our part as leaders in sport to help the nation address this curve of coronavirus," Roberts said.
"And hopefully, before too long, we see a positive impact on that based on the actions we're taking and that other leaders in the community in sport, in business, and in government are taking."
(Inputs from cricket.com.au)
