NEW DELHI: This year’s T20 World Cup is set to be moved from India to the UAE with the BCCI acknowledging that none of the participating teams would be “comfortable” coming here because “a third wave” of COVID-19 cases is expected at the time of the event.
While a final decision will be taken in a month’s time but it is understood that even the Indian cricket board is jittery about holding the 16-team tournament in October-November after the ongoing IPL had to be suspended because of multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.
PTI has learnt BCCI officials have had very recent discussions with some of the top decision-makers in the central government and a shift to the UAE has been more or less agreed upon. The dates of the marquee competition, which was planned across nine venues, have not yet been finalised.
“The suspension of IPL within four weeks is an indicator that it’s not really safe to host a global event of that magnitude at a time when the country is fighting its worst health crisis in the last 70 years,” a senior BCCI source privy to development said on conditions of anonymity. “There is a chance of a third wave hitting the Indian shores in November. So while BCCI will remain the hosts, the tournament will probably shift to the UAE,” he added.
Health experts have warned of a third wave in India in September, a view that has been shared by Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope.
The dire situation in India, where a daily addition of over 3 lakh new cases has continued for the past many days, has shaken most of the member boards and the ICC is unlikely to take a risk with safety of international cricket teams.
“You can be rest assured that most of the top nations wouldn’t like to tour India within the next six months unless the situation comes to normalcy. The players and their families would be very wary to travel if they are in the middle of another surge.
“So expect BCCI to agree with shifting of the tournament to UAE,” another source also chipped in. he said IPL’s suspension after a string of positive cases has made the officialdom very jittery of taking any more risks.
—PTI

Press Trust of India