The ICC World T20 2021 will be held in India but with the coronavirus pandemic causing havoc, there are indications that the tournament could be held in the UAE.
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The coronavirus second wave is causing chaos in India, with close to 400,000 cases every day. The IPL 2021 is being played in the bio-bubble in six cities. However, there is criticism from many sections about the tournament being played amidst the pandemic. Several Australian players have pulled out of the tournament citing their fears about the coronavirus pandemic. With the ICC World T20 2021 scheduled to be held in India in October-November, there are real doubts over whether the tournament can be held here. Now, there are some big developments in the BCCI about hosting the ICC World T20 here.
According to an interview to the BBC, Dhiraj Malhotra, who is the general manager for the game’s development in the country, dropped a hint that the Indian Board was in talks with the ICC over the perfect and worst-case scenario. “I’ve just been named one of the tournament directors, so I’m doing everything we can to make sure it happens. It would be the UAE. We’re hoping again that it would be done by the BCCI. So, we’ll take the tournament there, but it’ll still be done by the BCCI,” Malhotra said.
Geoff Allardice, the interim CEO of the ICC, has said the situation is being monitored. The ICC is in constant discussion with the BCCI about whether the venue can be hosted in the country.
Although there has been no confirmation from the UAE Cricket Board, this will not be the first time that a major tournament will be played in the UAE. In 2020, with the pandemic at its peak in India, the Indian Premier League was played in the UAE. The bio-secure environment that was created drew universal praise.
What could work in UAE’s favour is that the coronavirus is under control there. Plus, the logistics of the bio-bubble will also be manageable. There are only three venues in the UAE to play cricket. Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Dubai hosted the IPL games behind closed doors. In a major ICC tournament, with only three venues, the logistics can be handled in a better way.
There have been concerns about the bio-bubble in India, with Australian player Adam Zampa reportedly stating that the hygiene standard in India made him vulnerable. The legspinner said the 2021 edition should have also been played in the UAE.
The second wave has decimated India, putting the medical system on the brink of collapse. With studies stating that the number of cases will only rise in May, it remains to be seen how the ICC takes a note of the situation. The tournament was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic. One more postponement could further dampen the spirits of fans and teams.
On the status of the ICC World T20, the ICC stated, “At this stage, we haven’t activated those plans, because we are preparing to go ahead with the event in India as scheduled. We’re working with the BCCI and different elements of that event at the moment, but we do have backup plans that can be activated when the time’s right,” Allardice said.
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