BIG NEWS: ICC postpones T20 World Cup decks cleared for IPL 2020

In fact, the Cricket Australia had conveyed to the ICC its inability to conduct the tournament because of the health situation but the global governing body said it wanted to consider all "options" before taking the big decision.

In the meeting on Monday, the IBC Board (the commercial subsidiary of the ICC), cleared windows for the next three ICC men's events to bring clarity to the calendar and give the sport the best possible opportunity over the next three years to recover from the disruption caused by COVID-19.

The windows for the Men's events are:

A. ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 will be held October-November 2021 with the final on November 14, 2021.

B. ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 will be held October-November 2022 with the final on 13 November 2022.

C. ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 will be held in India October-November 2023 with the final on November 26, 2023.

The IBC Board agreed to continue to monitor the rapidly changing situation and assess all the information available in order to make a considered decision on future hosts to ensure the sport is able to stage safe and successful global events in 2021 and 2022.

The Board will also continue to evaluate the situation in relation to being able to stage the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2021 in New Zealand in February. In the meantime, planning for this event continues as scheduled.

ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: "We have undertaken a comprehensive and complex contingency planning exercise and through this process, our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport.

"The decision to postpone the ICC Men's T20 World Cup was taken after careful consideration of all of the options available to us and gives us the best possible opportunity of delivering two safe and successful T20 World Cups for fans around the world.

"Our Members now have the clarity they need around event windows to enable them to reschedule lost bilateral and domestic cricket. Moving the Men's Cricket World Cup to a later window is a critical element of this and gives us a better chance of maintaining the integrity of the qualification process. This additional time will be used to reschedule games that might be lost because of the pandemic ensuring qualification can be decided on the field of play.

"Throughout this process we have worked closely with our key stakeholders including governments, Members, broadcasters, partners and medical experts to enable us to reach a collective decision for the good of the game and our fans. I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment to a safe return to cricket."

In effect, the decision means the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can actively explore the option of staging IPL 2020.

There have been reports that the BCCI is eyeing the September 26-November 8 window to stage the IPL 2020. Now, with the T20 World Cup has been postponed, the BCCI can explore that window to stage the IPL 13 and can initiate talks with the Central Government and the Union Health Ministry about the feasibility of conducting the event at that time.

The Coronavirus cases have seen a steady climb in the country and has so far showed little signs of flattening with the total cases across the country touching the 11 lakh mark. However, there have also been reports that the IPL 2020 could be shifted out of India and the frontrunner at this point to host the event is UAE.

However, BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly had recently asserted that the priority will be to hold the IPL 2020 in India itself even if it is meant to be behind the closed doors. The governing body also has to keep in mind the fact the Indian team will be touring Australia from December 3 for a four-match Test series and Ganguly had said the trip is on schedule.

But some reports had said the tour of Australia could be pushed back by a week to accommodate the IPL 2020. The BCCI is particularly keen to host the IPL 2020 because a cancellation of the tournament will see the board taking a massive financial hit to the tune of Rs 4000 crore.

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