BCCI won’t suggest postponing T20 World Cup, reveals Arun Dhumal

05/22/2020

BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal has said that the Indian board would not be recommending the 2020 edition of the T20 World Cup in Australia to be pushed back. As an eventuality of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BCCI’s cash-rich Indian Premier League was indefinitely postponed last month.

As the coronavirus-induced pandemic took over the world, all sports over the globe were put on hold in March. And with all series' either cancelled or delayed, the resumption of cricket could mark some clashes between major tournaments. Meanwhile, the thirteenth edition of the Indian Premier League, which is worth almost $530 million to the board, was also indefinitely postponed by the BCCI as the nationwide lockdown in India was extended, now till May 31. In this regard, there have been speculations that the BCCI might want to host the IPL during the October-November window, when the T20 World Cup is scheduled in Australia.

With the T20 World Cup contingency plans on the agenda at next week's International Cricket Council (ICC) board meeting, BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal said that India would not be recommending the WT20 to be postponed.

"Why should the BCCI suggest postponing the Twenty20 World Cup? We'll discuss it in the meeting and whatever is appropriate, (the ICC) will take a call. If the Australia government announces that the tournament will happen and Cricket Australia is confident they can handle it, it will be their call. BCCI would not suggest anything," Dhumal told Reuters by telephone, as quoted by TOI.

"It all depends on what the Australian government says on this - whether they'd allow so may teams to come and play the tournament. Will it make sense to play games without spectators? Will it make sense for CA to stage such a tournament like that? It's their call."

The World T20 2020, the seventh edition of the T20 World Cup, is scheduled to take place between October 18 and November 15 in Australia.