The Board of Control for Cricket in India has hinted that this year’s T20 World Cup could be moved to the United Arab Emirates if the Covid-19 crisis does not subside in India.

This became clear as Dhiraj Malhotra, the General Manager in BCCI, has said that UAE has been kept as back-up venue for this tournament to be held between October 18 to November 15, if the pandemic situation does not improve in India.

His statement assumes significance as it comes days after the International Cricket Council spokesperson had earlier stated that ‘the world body is monitoring the situation closely’. A final decision though will only be taken in the ICC meeting in June.

As reported earlier in India Narrative, the current surge in Covid-19 second wave has created doubts about India holding the ICC T20 World Cup five months from now.

Also read: Covid-19 second wave casts a shadow on India as venue for ICC T20 World Cup this year

A report in United Arab Emirates’ English newspaper Daily Mail, stated that UAE is likely to host this premium international event, in case the situation in India does not improve.

With a huge following for the game, especially the 20 overs edition, if the ICC T20 World Cup moves to the West Asian country, it surely would come as a blow for the millions of fans in the country.

The report also had said that an International Cricket Council delegation was in India. “An ICC delegation is currently in India, which last week proposed nine venues for the month-long tournament, due to start midway through October and conclude with a final at the world’s biggest cricket ground — the 130,000-capacity stadium in Ahmedabad where England played several matches over winter — on November 13.”

Earlier Australia was to hold this edition of the T20 World Cup in October-November. This was postponed by ICC because of the prevailing pandemic at that time. This gave an opportunity to the Board of Control for Cricket in India to hold IPL.  Held in UAE in 2020, IPL proved to be a runaway success.