The BCCI have confirmed today that the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup will be shifted to UAE and Oman due to the unfortunate situation of the Covid-19 pandemic in India. The BCCI will continue to act as the hosts of the event which will be held between the 17th of October and the 14th of November 2021. The event will be held across 4 venues in the UAE and Oman, including the Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.
🚨 NEWS 🚨: BCCI to host ICC T20 World Cup in UAE & Oman
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— BCCI (@BCCI) June 29, 2021
What was said?
In a statement made on the BCCI website, Jay Shah (BCCI secretary) stated that “the BCCI made every effort to stage the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and provide its passionate fans with a reason to cheer after a long period of gloom.
However, the prevailing pandemic situation in the country meant that the health and safety of everyone concerned was fraught with risk should a tournament of this stature is held across the country. The BCCI will continue to host the tournament, which will now be held in the UAE and Oman and work closely with the ICC to make it a memorable event.”
The BCCI president Sourav Ganguly added that “The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman.
We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the Covid 19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman. The BCCI is looking forward to creating a spectacle.”
How does this affect the competition?
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The pitches in UAE and Oman are expected to be similar to the ones experienced in India with wickets that assist the spinners and gradually become slower as the tournament progresses. The Men in Blue are expected to be the favourites after their recent 3-2 T20I series victory over England in March alongside the West Indies and reigning ODI World Cup champions England.
What about the IPL?
The Indian Premier League was also postponed at the halfway stage following the increasing number of Covid-19 cases inside the bio-bubble. The remainder of the tournament will be played in the UAE ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup with a tentative start date of September 20th.
[Image Credit: SunRisers Hyderabad]
Shivaan Shah