Former Australia captain Mark Taylor remarked that world cricket is most likely headed towards a postponement of October’s T20 World Cup, with a late IPL taking its place instead.
Pointing out to the logistical difficulties in hosting a world tournament in the current climate, Taylor observed that having the IPL in place of the global tournament is the easier path, given the stark difference in the number of individuals that will have to take up international travel.
“I think that’s the most likely scenario, because 15 teams planning to come to Australia between October and November, 45 matches over a proposed seven venues. In the world that we live in, international travel is going to be extremely difficult,” Taylor told Channel Nine Sports. “Fourteen days’ isolation before that makes it even harder. More than likely that event is not going ahead.
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“So if the ICC were to postpone that event, that will open the door for the BCCI to say, ‘we will have our IPL in India’, which actually puts the onus back on individuals whether they want to travel, rather than nations moving whole teams over to a certain country.”
Taylor, though, said that logistics aren’t the only factor weighing into this conundrum. With India scheduled to take on Australia in a four-Test series immediately following the T20 World Cup, Taylor said that figures to be the more important event in Cricket Australia’s eyes, as the more financially sound option.
“Cricket Australia will obviously want the T20 World Cup, but at the same time will be working hard with India that if their players go there for IPL, they will want India to come to Australia for our summer of cricket next year,” Taylor said.
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“Cricket in a way is fortunate with the timing. They have also now got some time to do some planning. I have no doubt that CA will now be thinking about IPL and maybe not the T20 World Cup. They want India here in this country. That’s what they want and they are already talking about Adelaide Oval as a hub to maybe host all four Tests, I think it is feasible, and they’ve got a hotel attached to the ground.”
