After the BCCI announced that it would be unable to host the event because to the COVID-19 outbreak, the men’s T20 World Cup would be held in the United Arab Emirates in October and November.
“We have officially informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the T20 World Cup might be moved to the United Arab Emirates. The specifics are being worked out “Sourav Ganguly, president of the BCCI, told PTI.
The event is slated to begin soon after the IPL, which is set to conclude on October 15, according to Cricinfo earlier this week.
If rumours from ESPNCricinfo are to be accepted, the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 will be held in the UAE rather than India, as originally planned. In addition, the 16-team tournament will begin a few days after the IPL final, which is expected to take place on October 15.
The T20 World Cup 2021 is set to begin on October 17 and end on November 14, with the final taking place on November 14. India was set to host the 2021 T20 World Cup, but due to the second wave of the COVID-19 virus, they have lost their venue rights, though they may still be part as tournament hosts.
According to ESPNCricinfo, the BCCI has yet to officially write to the ICC regarding moving the T20 World Cup to the UAE, but the world cricket body has already begun planning for the tournament to be staged in the Middle East.
The opening round of the T20 World Cup will be split into two groups and contested in the UAE and Oman, according to the current plan. Eight teams will compete in Round 1, which will consist of 12 matches, with four teams (top two from each group) qualifying for the Super 12s.
The Super 12s phase will consist of 30 matches and will begin on October 24. The teams will be divided into two groups of six, with matches taking place in three sites around the UAE: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. The two semi-finals and the final will be followed by three playoff games.
The BCCI is sure that with Round 1 being co-hosted by one of the venues in the UAE and Oman, there will be enough time to refresh the pitches throughout the UAE’s principal fields in time for the Super 12s.
The BCCI was given until the end of June to give the ICC its final verdict on whether India will be able to host the T20 World Cup. However, things are looking bleak, since BCCI has been forced to move the second part of the IPL 2021 to the UAE as well, which will begin on September 19.
Despite the fact that pandemic numbers have decreased from the frightening high in April-May, public health experts believe that India will be hit by a third wave later in 2021, which corresponds with the scheduled dates of the T20 World Cup.