Wasim Khan believes most of the ICC member nations would be comfortable playing the Twenty20 World Cup in the UAE.
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Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan believes that the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup will take place in the UAE, rather than being hosted by India. The remaining matches of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are expected to take place in the UAE, presenting an opportunity to gain a realistic view over plans to host the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). India is currently battling the COVID-19 pandemic that has wreaked havoc in all corners of the world.
“The logistical challenges that we found will be similar challenges, bringing more countries over from different parts of the world for the World Cup in the UAE,” said Khan as quoted by Cricket Australia.
“Ultimately it’s a decision for the ICC, but right now, if you ask me, I would say that it’s (T20 World Cup) likely to probably take place in the UAE,” he added.
Wasim further expected the coronavirus situation in Pakistan to improve in the coming months, considering the big-ticket tours that have been scheduled in the next 12 months. Australia is expected to tour the nation for the first time in 22 years.
“Certainly in four or five months’ time, we expect everything to be better in Pakistan from a COVID perspective. We’ve got a huge amount of cricket coming up and all the countries are relishing the opportunity of coming over,” he said.
The PCB CEO further believes that security concerns that prevented foreign teams from touring Pakistan have subsided.
“Security is no longer the No. 1 issue that people are asking about. When South Africa were due to come and Zimbabwe, the question they were asking about was the (coronavirus) protocols – no longer about security,” added Khan.
India has asked for a month to weigh up its options before letting the ICC know whether its viable to host the T20 World Cup in India in less than five months. The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had to be suspended last month when players inside the bio-secure bubble started testing positive for COVID-19, and infection rates soared in parts of the country.
