THIS autumn’s Twenty20 World Cup T20 is set to be replaced by the IPL with sweeping changes to be made due to the coronavirus crisis.
England will be forced to wait another year in their bid to own both cricket World Cup titles under proposed plans.
Due to the IPL’s enforced delay, the shortest format’s major tournament is set to be pushed back until 2021.
England, of course, won their first-ever cricket World Cup in the 50-over tournament last summer.
And Eoin Morgan and Co were hoping to clinch the T20 format too, with that tournament due to start in October.
However, with the 2020 T20 World Cup set to be pushed back a year, the 2023 50-over World Cup could also be shunted back, with a knock-on effect across the cricketing world, say The Times.
England’s defence of the World Cup was pencilled in for February 2023 – but could now be played in October of the same year at the earliest.
Speaking on the upcoming major tournaments, one national board source claimed: “There’s a 99 per cent chance [the Twenty20 World Cup] is not going to happen [in 2020].
“That’s my gut feel. They are exploring different windows already.
“[They could] potentially move it to October 2021 and the India World T20 that was due to be played in 2021 would then go to October 2022.”
The fear over hosting a World Cup this year focuses on the logistics of getting 16 different nations together, safely, to participate in the tournament while adhering to coronavirus procedures, such as quarantining and so on.
With that in mind, the IPL could swoop in to replace the T20 World Cup this autumn-winter – as it’s the safer option.
India’s head coach Ravi Shastri said: “When cricket resumes, we could give the IPL priority.
“The difference between an international tournament and the IPL is that the IPL can be played between one or two cities and the logistics will be easier to manage.
“The same thing with bilaterals… It’ll be easier for us to tour one country and play there at specific grounds rather than 15-16 teams flying in.
“The ICC needs to look at this objectively.”
England came so close to winning the previous T20 World Cup in 2016, with Carlos Brathwaite’s heroics – hitting four sixes off the final over, bowled by Ben Stokes – seeing West Indies clinch the crown.
Morgan’s men are still hoping to squeeze some big T20 internationals in THIS summer, with three matches apiece against Pakistan and Australia.
However, if the T20 World Cup is pushed back, those warm-up matches may be canned in favour of other matches.
England are also due to play the West Indies and Pakistan in the Test arena this summer, with the Windies matches already postponed due to coronavirus.
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