The International Cricket Council Board will meet via video conference later today. The Board of Control for Cricket in India will eager to know the outcome more than anyone else.
Fate of the Indian Premier League 2020 is hanging on the formal announcement of postponement of the ICC T20 World Cup 2020. There is still no certainty if the ICC Board will be in a position to make an announcement today (Monday).
A source has confirmed to SportzFront that there is an unofficial consensus in the ICC to defer the World Cup in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Board wants to ascertain the alternate dates before formally announcing the postponement. “The decision will be made by the board. ICC will just make the announcement,” said the source.
The BCCI is reportedly considering to hold the IPL, preferably in the UAE, between the last week of September and mid-November. However, the board does not want to spark a controversy by announcing the IPL plans before the ICC verdict on the T20 World Cup in Australia.
“The first step was postponement of Asia Cup, which has happened. We can only start to move ahead with our plans after the ICC announces the postponement. They have been sitting on the decision even after Cricket Australia said that they are not too keen on hosting the event,” an anonymous BCCI Apex Council member has told PTI.
The 2020 edition of the T20 World Cup is expected to be deferred to 2020 as India has been allotted the T20 World Cup 2020. Cricket Australia has informed the ICC that it were not keen to host the World Cup due to COVID-19 pandemic. Novel Coronavirus cases are yet again on the rise and authorities have clamped a one-month lockdown on Australia.
ICC CHAIR ELECTION
Election of the Independent Chair is a more urgent matter for the ICC after incumbent Shashank Manohar has tendered his resignation. Nomination process to find Manohar’s successor will top the agenda for today’s meeting.
“The board is not united on whether the usual 2/3rd majority to decide will be used (as its in case of policy decision) or the case of simple majority among the 17 board members,” PTI has quoted an ICC Board member as saying.
England and Wales Cricket Board’s Colin Graves was considered the top contender with BCCI president Sourav Ganguly’s name also being floated.
Ganguly’s candidature will certainly depend on whether the Supreme Court waives off the cooling off period and allows him to continue as BCCI president beyond July 27 when he completes six years as an office-bearer in the Indian Board’s state and national units.
When asked about the possibility of taking up the ICC job in a recent interview, the 48-year-old said he is young and in no hurry for the position.
Former Cricket West Indies chief Dave Cameron has also confirmed his interest for the ICC Independent Chair.
New Zealand’s Gregor Barclay, Hong Kong’s Imran Khawaja, who is currently the interim chairman, are also being talked about as potential candidates.