CricketAustralia’s (CA) interim CEO Nick Hockley on Saturday made it clear that if the borders are opened and teams can enter the country to play the T20 World Cup, fans too will be allowed to watch the matches live. And, his statement comes as a major boost for cricket fans across the globe.
Nick Hockley
Sydney: “We have got much more understanding about the situation in recent weeks. The reality is that crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country,” Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked about the situation with regards to fans.
“If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you are talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time is a much more complex exercise.”
In fact, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani also spoke on the same lines recently when he talked about the difficulties that come with creating a bio-secure environment for a multi-nation event.
“We have had a lot of discussions and the feeling is it (T20 World Cup) would not be possible this year. International Cricket Council (ICC) has World Cups lined up in 2021 and 2023, so we have a gap year where we can adjust this event,” Mani, who also heads ICC Finance and Commercial Rights Committee, had told reporters on Wednesday.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 15, but has been shrouded in doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic. “If some player falls ill or mishap occurs during the event, it will have a big impact and create panic in the cricket world. We can’t take that risk. Having a bio-bubble environment is feasible for a bilateral series like Pakistan in England, but is very difficult when 16 teams are involved.”
‘Postponement could affect women’s WC’
“If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you are talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time is a much more complex exercise.”
In fact, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani also spoke on the same lines recently when he talked about the difficulties that come with creating a bio-secure environment for a multi-nation event.
“We have had a lot of discussions and the feeling is it (T20 World Cup) would not be possible this year. International Cricket Council (ICC) has World Cups lined up in 2021 and 2023, so we have a gap year where we can adjust this event,” Mani, who also heads ICC Finance and Commercial Rights Committee, had told reporters on Wednesday.
The tournament is scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 15, but has been shrouded in doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic. “If some player falls ill or mishap occurs during the event, it will have a big impact and create panic in the cricket world. We can’t take that risk. Having a bio-bubble environment is feasible for a bilateral series like Pakistan in England, but is very difficult when 16 teams are involved.”
‘Postponement could affect women’s WC’
Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry stated that next year’s Women’s ODI World Cup could be affected if the men’s T20 World Cup, currently scheduled to be played this year, is postponed. The Women’s WC is slated to be held in New Zealand from February 6 to March 7 and it is believed that Cricket Australia (CA) might consider those dates for the men’s T20 event in case it is unable to stage it this year. “It depends on what happens to the men’s T20 WC. That could have an impact on the women’s WC,” Perry was quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz.
“If that (men’s T20) tournament is postponed to next year, it is pretty hard to think two world events are feasible to run at about the same time. I would imagine those events can’t be played concurrently. In the current scheme of things, a WC seems a bit irrelevant given everything else that has gone on,” she added. It should be remembered that India is also slated to host a men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.