Media outlets reported on Friday that Cricket Australia has asked the International Cricket Council to postpone the T20 World Cup to next year on account of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The T20 World Cup was scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November this year. At a meeting on Thursday, the ICC deferred a decision on going ahead with the T20 World Cup to June 10.
The request was made in a letter by Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings to the ICC, which was leaked to media.
"It would be detrimental to cricket if the cancellation of the ‘Australian event’ [this year's T20 World Cup] is replaced by awarding of the subsequent T20 World Cup in October/November 2022... Australia has thankfully managed to 'flatten the (COVID) curve', meaning there is greater certainty of being able to play in Australia in 2021 (which is key to maintaining member distribution). This would give India another year to resolve any COVID-related problems," Eddings wrote in an email to the ICC's Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee.
Cricket Australia's chief executive Kevin Roberts had previously suggested the T20 World Cup be held next February and March, or in October and November next year.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday that the postponement of the T20 World Cup would free up the October-November time-frame to hold the Indian Premier League.
The plans to postpone the T20 World Cup come as Cricket Australia has warned of extensive job cuts due to disruption to its calendar, which could bring a loss of around Australian dollars 80 million.
