NEW DELHI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has revealed that it has kept UAE as a backup option for the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup considering the deadly wave of coronavirus wreaking havoc in the country.
Six months before the showpiece’s scheduled start, India reported a record 386,452 new cases on Friday, though medical experts believe actual numbers maybe five to 10 times greater.
“It would be the UAE,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) general manager Dhiraj Malhotra told an international news channel. “We’ll take the tournament there, but it’ll still be done by the BCCI,” added Malhotra.
The alarming surge in coronavirus cases in India has raised concerns amid the International Cricket Council (ICC) regarding the possibility of holding the T20 Worldcup in the virus-hit country.
Sources confirmed that the ICC is deeply concerned over the surge in COVID-19 cases in India, therefore, the international cricket governing body has decided to take a closer look at the virus situation of the country.
ICC aims to be fully satisfied with the conduct of the T20 World Cup as it believes that the health and safety of teams and other stakeholders, including broadcasters, cannot be compromised.
The World Cup tournament, comprising 16 teams, is scheduled to take place in India between October and November this year, with the final on November 14.
