Cricket Australia chairman thinks World T20 unlikely, raises IPL 2020 hopes

A WINDOW FOR organising the IPL may be opening up for BCCI as it continues to look increasingly unlikely that the T20 World Cup can take place this year.

The global championship is scheduled to take place between October 18th and November 15th in Australia. But the COVID-19 pandemic has created a logistical nightmare that's made it hard for ICC and Cricket Australia to come up with a way to safely conduct the tournament.

Earl Eddings, chairman of Cricket Australia, spoke aloud his doubts about whether the World T20 can be held this year to the press,

"Trying to get 16 countries into Australia in the current world, where most countries are still going through COVID spiking, I think it's unrealistic, or it's going to be very, very difficult."

While the coronavirus has had a limited effect in the continent, with New Zealand having no new cases in the last three weeks and sports events already being held with crowd present at the arenas. Australia, too, are planning to allow a limited number of fans to be present at sports arenas from next month onwards. But World T20 being an international event, it presents difficulties that domestic sports events don't.

If the tournament is indeed postponed, it will allow the BCCI to organise the IPL in the October-November window. Whether fans are able to attend the matches at the stadium remains to be seen as the number of coronavirus cases continue to spike across the country. There is also the possibility of the IPL being moved out of the country to a location where the virus has run its course or had limited effect.