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The ICC has given the BCCI an extension till June 28 to decide whether to host the Twenty20 World Cup in India in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. BCCI was represented by President Sourav Ganguly and Secretary Jai Shah at the ICC Board’s online meeting on Tuesday.
The World Cup is expected to be held in India in October-November this year. The BCCI had asked for a month, the ICC gave it unanimously. According to a source close to the ICC board, “the ICC has agreed to the BCCI’s request and will have to contact the ICC by 28th June with a new concrete plan”. If the BCCI does not host the tournament, it will be held in the UAE. Before that, IPL matches will be played in the UAE till October 10. In that case, the BCCI can retain the right to host. If not possible in October-November, BCCI is looking for a window for 2022.
The BCCI is in touch with the Center over a tax relief of Rs 900 crore. The government’s decision has caught the attention of the board. The board promised to inform the ICC from time to time in today’s meeting. In the eight years from 2023 to 2031, the ICC decided to host the World Cup four times.
ICC is also looking for options in the Middle East countries for the preliminary round games of the upcoming edition.
“The ICC Board has requested management focus its planning efforts for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 on the event being staged in the UAE with the possibility of including another venue in the Middle East,” an ICC release said.
By the looks of the COVID-19 situation in the country, there is very little possibility of the T20 World Cup happening in India but somehow BCCI manages to organize the tournament, chances are the matches will be played in Mumbai because it has three stadiums (Wankhede, Brabourne, and DY Patil).