The decision on the fate of the T20 World Cup has been deferred to July by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The tournament was scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November. The ICC has said it will monitor the fast changing public health situation due to COVID-19 before taking a final call on the tournament.
Cricket’s global governing body in a press release said, it is working with key stakeholders including governments to explore how the event can be staged to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.
According to Chief Executive of ICC Manu Sawhney, “The situation surrounding the global pandemic is evolving rapidly and we want to give ourselves the best possible opportunity to make the right decision for the whole sport. The health and well-being of everyone involved is our priority and other considerations fall out from that."
Sawhney further added, “We will only get one chance to make this decision and it needs to be the right one and as such we will continue to consult with our members, broadcasters, partners, governments and players and to ensure that we make a well informed decision.”
On the ongoing issue of tax exemptions required for hosting ICC events, it was agreed to give the Board of Cricket Control of India ( BCCI) an extension of six months to provide a tax solution. BCCI needs a mandatory tax exemption from the government to host ICC tournaments in India.
It was also expected that in this meeting the election and nomination of the next chairman of the ICC would be discussed. However, there was no mention of it. The current Chairman Shashank Manohar has already completed his tenure and will not be seeking an extension.