Highlights
- ICC has officially postponed this year's men's T20 World Cup.
- It is now likely to be played in October – November 2021 with the final on 14 November next year.
- Cricket Australia remains optimistic about the Indian cricket team's tour to Australia in December this year.
The International Cricket Council has officially postponed men's T20 World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in October this year in Australia and New Zealand.
Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley says: "The ICC board met last night and they've taken the decision to postpone this year's men's T20 World Cup. What they confirmed is that there will be a men's T20 World Cup taking place in October-November 2021."
The postponement of the tournament will affect the next three ICC men's sporting events.
The windows for the men's events are:
ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021:
October – November 2021 with the final to be played on 14 November 2021
ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022:
October – November 2022 with the final on 13 November 2022
ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023:
October – November 2023 and the final will be played on 26 November 2023
Mr Hockley says those events will be hosted in India and Australia but confirmation of the locations is still awaited.
"We are waiting now for confirmation around whether Australia will host the 2021 and 2022 version or vice versa and that's to do with the health situation at the moment," he told SBS Hindi.
The ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said in a statement to media: "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.
Nick Hockley, Chief Executive Officer at ICC T20 Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
"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."
Many Indian fans had booked their tickets way in advance when the sale started in November last year.
Nick Hockley says the fans will have an option of retaining their tickets or getting a refund.
"Given that the event is not happening this year, people are entitled to refund their tickets as per the ticketing policy, but if the event is postponed to 2021 then ticket holders can keep hold of that ticket so they will remain funded for the 2021 events," he said.
Australia had launched a marketing blitz to attract cricket fans from India to visit Australia during the World Cup, including a $5 million campaign announced by the Federal Minister for Tourism, Simon Birmingham, in July last year.
Indian cricket fans wave flags on day 2 the cricket test match between India and Australia in Sydney, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Source: AAP
Approximately 100,000 international visitors travelled to Australia alone when the country co-hosted the ICC One Day World Cup in 2015 with New Zealand.
With this year's T20 World Cup now officially postponed, Mr Hockley remains hopeful of the Indian cricket team's visit to Australia later this year for a four-match Test series.
"The reality in relations to T20 World Cup is 15 international teams coming into the country, moving all around given the international borders are currently closed and subject to restrictions, same to some state borders, was just too complex and too risky.
"We remain very optimistic around India coming in. So the good news for everyone who was looking forward to watching India play in the World Cup is that it's highly likely that it will be here for this summer."
The Indian cricket team is scheduled to play ten matches against Australia including four test matches.
