ICC confirms shifting T20 World Cup 2021 from India to UAE, Oman
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed the UAE and Oman as the venue for Men’s T20 World Cup 2021. The tournament was supposed to take place in India. It shall now begin from 17th October with the final slated to take place on 14th November.
India were the original hosts of this tournament but had to be shifted out of the country with the second wave of Covid-19 wreaking havoc in India.
The BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held across four venues – Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.
The first round of the tournament, comprising the eight qualifying teams, will now be split between Oman and UAE. Four of these teams will then progress to the Super 12s round where they’ll join the eight automatic qualifiers.
The eight teams competing in the preliminary stage are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman and Papua New Guinea, before the play-off stage and the Final on 14 November.
“The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman,” added BCCI President Sourav Ganguly. “We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the Covid 19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman. The BCCI is looking forward to creating a spectacle.”
