International Cricket Council (ICC) is likely to finally make a decision on the fate of the T20 World Cup, scheduled in October-November in Australia, with a sudden spike in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Victoria and Melbourne, the host city of the final, going into the second phase of strict lockdown starting Wednesday (July 8).
It's a development that is of keen interest to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), because shifting of ICC's flagship event within the ongoing FTP cycle could not only open up a possible window for the indefinitely postponed 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but also create space for other bilateral arrangements.
A BCCI official speaking to IANS said that it is only ICC which has kept delaying a call of deferment on T20 World Cup even as Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Earl Eddings has publicly said the 16-team competition is unlikely to see the light of the day this year.
"As it is there were so many logistical difficulties and that is perfectly understandable," the official said. "The Australian government has been addressing the public health issue efficiently and there are regulations in place which are crucial to address the challenges. In that background, even Cricket Australia has been practical in their assessment of the situation."
"With this present situation where Melbourne is in lockdown, the ICC really must take the final call of closure on the issue if they have any concept of responsible decision making," the official added.
Ehsan Mani, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, was also quoted in pessimism over the showpiece ICC event in these difficult times.
"We have had a lot of discussions and the feeling is it (T20 World Cup) would not be possible this year," he had said. "ICC has World Cups lined up in 2021 and 2023, so we have a gap year where we can adjust this event."
"God forbid if some player(s) falls ill or mishap occurs during the tournament, it will have a big impact and create panic in the cricket world and we can't take that risk. Having a bio-bubble environment is feasible for say a bilateral series like Pakistan in England, but it is very difficult when 16 teams are involved," Mani stressed.
The logistical challenge of creating bio-secure bubbles at different venues for multiple teams was always going to be the biggest roadblock in the way of T20 World Cup amid this pandemic.
"Our biggest challenge is getting 15 (other) teams into the country. If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you're talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it's a much more complex exercise," said CA's interim CEO Nick Hockley.
