The 2021 ICC T20 World Cup is set to be shifted to the United Arab Emirates due to the escalating coronavirus situation in India, Indian cricket board sources told Reuters on Saturday.
Infections are sharply on the rise again in India, as the country scrambles to curb a more transmissible variant of the virus, hitting plans to ease lockdown measures. India’s official total for infections has risen to more than 30.18 million, with 394,493 deaths.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was forced to suspend the Indian Premier League in May as cases surged in the country. The remaining matches of that tournament have been moved to the UAE and will be completed ahead of the World Cup, which is scheduled to start from mid-October.
A BCCI source, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters: “Even if we go ahead and host the World Cup in the safest possible manner, some countries might ban travel to India in view of the third wave (of coronavirus infections). That makes the whole thing untenable,
“A decision will be taken in the next couple of days and will be conveyed to the International Cricket Council.”
Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI chief and former India captain, told Reuters in a text message that a final decision had yet to be made. The ICC did not want to comment.
The ICC had set a June 28 deadline for the BCCI to take a decision on hosting the tournament. The Indian board will retain hosting rights for the event regardless of where the tournament is played.
Source: Read Full Article