ICC has a T2O World Cup back-up plan

PRETORIA. — Cricket’s governing body has a plan B in case the coronavirus pandemic prevents India from staging the Twenty20 World Cup this year, but is still months from a final decision. India is scheduled to hold the World Cup in October and November, but a new surge in coronavirus cases has prompted health concerns. “We are certainly proceeding on the assumption that the event is going ahead as planned,” interim chief Geoff Allardice told reporters at the International Cricket Council (ICC) headquarters in Dubai.

“Cricket is being played in a number of countries around the world, and we are taking the lessons from all of those,” he added.

Allardice, who took temporary charge of the ICC after disciplinary proceedings were started against Manu Sawhney, said the governing body had a World Cup backup ready if needed.

“At this stage, we have not activated those plans because we are preparing to go ahead with the event in India as scheduled,” he said.

But he added that there are still “a number of months to be able to see how the situation is and how cricket events are being run”.

The Indian Premier League, the world’s richest T20 club event, started on Friday, with all eight teams in strict bio-bubbles.

However, four players have tested positive in recent days. India is currently recording more than 100 000 new virus cases a day, and the number of daily deaths has doubled in the past two weeks to more than 600 nationwide. — AFP.