Hosting T20 World Cup this year ‘unrealistic’: Cricket Australia admits

Newly-appointed Cricket Australia (CA) chairman Earl Eddings admitted it is ‘unlikely’ and ‘unrealistic’ that Australia will host the Men’s T20 World Cup later this year.

Despite the indecision on the mega event in their last two board meetings, the ICC continues to remain optimistic about the tournament that was scheduled between October 18 and November 15. A final call will be taken only after consultation with all stakeholders, possibly in the month of July.

Eddings though feels like time is running out, and that the entire world is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. In such a situation, the right decision needs to be made at the right time.

“It’s a bit of a moving feast at the moment. I’d say it’s unlikely, while it hasn’t been formally called off this year or postponed, trying to get 16 countries into Australia in the current world where most countries are still going through Covid-19 spiking is very, very difficult,” Eddings said.

Earlier reports indicated that the CA had also proposed to swap hosting rights for the T20 World Cup with India. In his email to the ICC, Eddings suggested that Australia host the World Cup in Oct-Nov 2021 and that India could do it a year later.

Kevin Robers, who was sacked as CA chief on Monday, had said that the ICC was ‘juggling a lot of balls’ and that there is a high chance of the World Cup happening this year. There’s also the Women’s ODI World Cup scheduled in New Zealand in early 2021. If the Men’s T20 World Cup is moved around, its implications on the women’s tournament will also be at large.