CHENNAI: Citing the second Covid-19 wave which affected India badly, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has shifted the T20 World Cup scheduled to take place at home in October-November to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Although the BCCI communicated the decision officially to the International Cricket Council on Monday, it was always on the cards, especially after the board decided to resume the suspended IPL 2021 in the Gulf.
While the tournament has been moved to the UAE, the BCCI will technically remain as host. Apart from the three Emirates — Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah — Oman will also play host to the event. The 16-team event will begin on October 17 and run till November 14 with Muscat and Sharjah likely to host the first round of matches involving Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ireland, Papa New Guinea, Namibia, Scotland, Netherlands.
Oman, who also managed to qualify for the event for the second-time running, will possibly get to play their first-round matches at home. The top two teams in each group will make it to the Super 12 stage that is likely to begin from October 24 in the three Emirates. India, England, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies and Afghanistan have direct entries to Super 12 stage.
"After much deliberation, it has been decided that safety of the players and other stakeholders is of paramount importance and keeping that in mind, it is best that we shift the ICC T20 World Cup to the UAE," BCCI secretary Jay Shah wrote in a mail to state units.
Ever since the BCCI was unable to complete the IPL in India and had to suspend it midway after players and support staff from three teams tested Covid-19 positive midway through the tournament, the T20 World Cup has been drifting to the UAE. With the second wave still continuing and possible third wave predicted, the BCCI was aware teams may not be willing to play the event in India, even if it chooses to reduce the venues to Mumbai, Pune and Ahmedabad.
"It was not an easy decision and we mulled over it for months, constantly keeping an eye on the Covid-19 situation all along. However, with the second wave causing such devastation, the decision ultimately boiled down to the safety and well-being of the players and organisers," Shah wrote.
Interestingly, Oman was not mentioned as host in Shah's letter, but in a subsequent mail sent by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had the country as a host. Muscat has been added as a venue to ensure the pitches in Abu Dhabi and Dubai get some rest time before the Super 12 stage.
This is the second time in three years that the BCCI has chosen the gulf region to be its home after hosting the Asia Cup in 2018 in the UAE to avoid visa complications for Pakistan team. In 2020, the BCCI hosted the entire edition of the IPL in the UAE in the months of September-October.