ICC postpones decision on two-year World T20 cycle

ByArun S Kaimal, SportsCafe Editor

07/04/2016

The ICC has decided to delay a decision on whether or not to hold the World T20 in 2018, till October. The Committee had made the World T20 a quadrennial affair after the 2016 edition in India, but the success of the tournament made the ICC members ask for the restoration of the two-year cycle.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, the topic came up for discussion in the recently concluded ICC annual conference at Edinburgh, but the Committee refused to take a decision on the matter without seeking the views of Star, which holds the broadcast rights for ICC world events. Star India and Star Middle East, subsidiaries of 21st Century Fox Inc, had secured the audio-visual rights for the 2015-2023 cricket cycle back in 2014. Under the current deal, the ICC is supposed to conduct the World T20 in 2020. But, the huge success of the World T20 in India has made the ICC member countries to push for a World T20 in 2018 and 2022.

"It came up for discussion. In principle the Board supported the possibility of at least holding an additional World T20 in 2018," Richardson said after the annual conference. "There is a gap in the Future Tours Programme calendar for it to take place. But again it depends whether it is worth it or not - we have got a broadcast agreement in place with Star. They need to be consulted. Their views need to be sought.

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"We need to negotiate a value for that tournament. We would have loved to have made a decision this time, but we are not ready yet. We need to work through the details with Star and then make a decision in October," reported ESPNcricinfo.

South Africa is reportedly the front-runner to host the event in 2018, but a decision on the topic will only be finalised in October.

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