Preparations on for T20 World Cup this year, says ICC

‘This is on the agenda for the ICC board meeting tomorrow and a decision will be taken’

The International Cricket Council has told Reuters it is continuing preparations for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Australia this year as planned and denied reports yesterday that a decision had been taken to postpone the event.

Media reports in India said ICC members had come to an understanding that this year’s event would be pushed back to 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The ICC board is to meet today to discuss several issues related to the pandemic and its members will also address the fate of the World Cup, which is due to be played at stadiums around Australia from October 18 to November 15.

“The ICC has not taken a decision to postpone the T20 World Cup and preparations are ongoing for the event in Australia this year as per plan,” a spokesman for the governing body told

Reuters. “This is on the agenda for the ICC Board meeting tomorrow and a decision will be taken in due course.”

Australia has been among the most successful nations in containing the spread of the new coronavirus but travel restrictions remain in place with several state and territory borders still closed.

A Cricket Australia spokeswoman told Reuters she was unaware of any decision being taken to postpone the World Cup.

The Indian cricket board (BCCI), which is set to host the following edition of the tournament in 2021, is keeping a close eye on developments as a postponement could open up a window for this year’s Indian Premier League.

Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official said that the Indian board has full faith in the directors of the international body and believe that they will not commit harakiri by taking the global event away from India.

“It is not the ICC, but some vested interests that come up with this story from time to time. Most of the ICC Directors are prudent and pragmatic and they would not permit these vested interests to lead the ICC down the path of harakiri. If they take this step, I assure you that the BCCI would still be laughing when the pieces fall, but the ICC would be worse for the wear,” the official said.

“It is time for the ICC to move

away from people who merely bring disputes with BCCI to the table and nothing else in terms of contribution. Anyone propped by such people will also be unacceptable.”

Earlier, a BCCI official in the know of developments said that it is sad that at a time when the world is fighting the coronavirus pandemic, such e-mails have

come in and there is an attempt to put the Indian board under pressure.

“I fail to understand how this is happening at this time when everyone is coming to grips with the pandemic. This is a complete and total failure of the ICC leadership and is a clear indication that change is imminent,” the official said. The BCCI was needed

to throw light on the tax exemption issue 18 months before the 2021 T20 World Cup which meant the deadline was April.

But the world has been under lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak and the Indian board has asked for an extension till June 30 or one month post lockdown opening.

Another official said the whole

turn of events was surprising to say the least, especially how the ICC said that the IBC refused to agree to an extension.

“Interestingly, their lawyer Jonathan Hall has written that the IBC has rejected BCCI’s request. Now the question is how did this happen without the actual board seeing it and voting for/against it?” he enquired.