IPL will be target October window pushing WT20 to next year, reckons Brendon McCullum

04/23/2020

Brendon McCullum has said that he thinks the IPL governing council will target the October window, pushing the World T20 to a later window, probably next year. He also added that it is almost impossible to host the World T20, given that there are 16 international teams, making IPL easier to host.

The 13th edition of the two-month-long tournament has taken an immediate toll after COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was pushed back from March 29 to April 15 and was later postponed indefinitely.

With no cricket action around the world, Brendon McCullum reckons that BCCI could target the October window for hosting the IPL. He added that it will push the World T20 to next year, which will help Cricket Australia (CA) to host the tournament in entirety.

“I think the IPL will try and target that October window and the T20 World Cup will get pushed back. For Australia to move 16 international teams plus all of their support staff and then broadcasters, seems a bridge too far. I can’t see them playing the T20 World Cup behind closed doors either,” McCullum told ‘Sky Cricket Podcast’.

The former Kiwi skipper said that it will open up spaces next year, where the tournament can be hosted alongside Women’s World Cup. He added that from a logistical standpoint, it is much easier to host the IPL, given that everything - including the broadcasting team would be based in India, making it easier to host.

“There may be a window a bit later in the new year of 2021 which could then open up a window for the IPL (in October and November). You’d have to move some overseas players for the IPL but with the broadcasters based in India, it is a lot easier to pull it all together.”

“That may mean the Women’s World Cup gets pushed back but hopefully we get to see all three tournaments operate,” he concluded.