Oman Cricket approaches BCCI after the ICC’s request to host T20 World Cup 2021

The ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is scheduled in India later this year in October and November. However, there is uncertainty looming over India as a potential venue for the marquee event due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The second wave of COVID-19 has wretched havoc in the country.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was also forced to postpone the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to the deadly virus. The BCCI has been awarded a month’s time by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to show their willingness to host the league.

Meanwhile, it is learned that ICC is on a hunt for a perfect venue for the upcoming T20 event. In the same light, the cricketing body has contacted Onam Cricket for hosting some of the T20 World Cup matches.

Though the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has already been selected as a stand-by venue by ICC, they are also looking for alternate options as the ICC doesn’t want to take any risk with the league. The T20 World Cup was scheduled for last year but was postponed due to COVID-19. Later, the BCCI hosted IPL 2020 in the same window in the UAE.  

Oman ready to host ICC T20 World Cup

“We have been approached by ICC and the chairman of Oman Cricket, Pankaj Khimji, is in talks with the BCCI which is due to host the tournament. The talks with BCCI have just started. The ICC asked us for certain things that they are looking at in a hosting venue and we have given them the details.

“We have told them that we are ready. We have two turf pitch grounds, including one with floodlights,” Madhu Jesrani, the Oman Cricket secretary said as quoted by The Times of India (TOI). 

Oman is one of the 16 participating nations in the upcoming ICC T20 event. The country has about two cricket stadiums, both inside Muscat. “The Al Amerat Cricket Stadium has floodlights and it is 15-20 km from the airport,” he added.

The main reason behind ICC looking for different venues is the pitches of the UAE. The UAE has a lot of cricket scheduled in the upcoming months and thus the pitches might turn slow and sluggish.