India still the host venue for the T20 World Cup 2021, UAE second option: BCCI source

While the COVID-19 catastrophe in India has already postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 midway, it has also put the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, which is slated to take place in India later this year, under jeopardy. The gala T20 tournament is scheduled to be played in October and November, the same time the third wave of coronavirus is expected to hit the nation. Hence, many believe that the competition might be shifted abroad.

However, the Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen to host the marquee event. The board members will meet at the Special General Meeting (SGM) meeting on May 29 to make some crucial decisions. As of now, the apex cricket body is determined to retain the hosting rights, with United Arab Emirates (UAE) being the second option.

BCCI to make major decisions in the SGM

“Right now, India is the host venue for the World Cup. That’s how the Board is seeing it. If things go awry again, then a call will be taken only after the month of June. And yes, UAE is the second option,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by the Times of India.

Notably, BCCI also needs to find a way to conduct the remaining 31 IPL games. While the board is considering shifting the remaining season to UAE or England, they have steadfastly refused to accept the idea of moving the World Cup outside of India. Moreover, if the odds are not in favour, BCCI will even mull over hosting the entire tournament in one or two cities (Pune and Mumbai), with Ahmedabad probably being the venue for finals.

The BCCI source also stated that England is the front-runner to host the remainder of IPL 2021, but the tournament will be shifted to UAE if the cost escalates over a certain point. “Only if costs are escalating to a point (in England) where it starts affecting stakeholders, the BCCI will consider the UAE as the second option for the IPL. On that front, we aren’t even discounting the idea of hosting the IPL in Sri Lanka,” sources add, calling the island country “a friendly cricketing nation,” the source added.

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