A bumper Australian summer of cricket in 2021 is on the cards after the men’s Twenty20 World Cup fell victim to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The tournament, scheduled for October and November this year, has been put on hold after Cricket Australia acknowledged the logistical challenges involved in staging a 16-team tournament amid travel and other restrictions.
The International Cricket Council did not confirm whether Australia would host the event in 2021, but if given the green light, it would present a mouthwatering run of cricket in the country, with a home Ashes series slated to follow.
The ICC’s decision on Monday means there will be back-to-back men’s T20 World Cups in 2021 and 2022 before the 50-overs World Cup in India in 2023.
India was scheduled to host the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup and there remains the possibility the Australian event will be put back to 2022, with India keeping its slot next year.
“We absolutely welcome the clarity, which is obviously important to make sure we can plan and deliver the best possible summer we can,” CA interim CEO Nick Hockley said.
“It goes back to safety and getting the best possible understand of the health situation and working with the latest and best available information.”
The BCCI, India’s powerful cricket board, is keen to stage the 2021 edition to avoid hosting back-to-back ICC events in 2022 and 2023.
“In terms of 2021 versus 2022 we just want to see two great events go ahead in India and Australia,” Hockley said. “If it’s 21, the plans are really, really well progressed – we’re really well placed to deliver on that.
“But .... equally, if it’s 2022, it will be a fantastic event. In many ways it gives a little bit more time to create even more additional certainty around it, the health situation, because I think one thing, no-one knows how long this is going to last.”
Fans who have already purchased tickets can hold onto them until the ICC provides clarity on where the 2021 event will be staged, or get a full refund.
“The decision to postpone presents the best chance to safely welcome fans into the outstanding venues across the country to enjoy watching the world’s best cricketers compete in a major global event in Australia, in either 2021 or 2022,” an ICC statement read.
“The ICC will continue to assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic for each potential host to increase the chance of staging two successful T20 World Cups.”
The ICC also moved the 2023 ODI World Cup in India to an October-November window from its original February-March slot, and will continue to evaluate the situation while preparing for the 2021 women’s 50-overs World Cup, which is scheduled in New Zealand from 6 February.
Australia’s men’s team are set to travel to England for an ODI series in September before returning home for a lucrative four-Test series against India over the summer.
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