T20 World Cup could be postponed for a year due to Covid-19 pandemic: Mani.

Byline: Khalid H. Khan

KARACHI -- The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman, Ehsan Mani expressed grave doubts on Wednesday that this year's ICC T20 World Cup will be postponed for a year at least because of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

Talking to a selected group of reporters via video link, the PCB chief remarked the uncertain situation across the globe has derailed the day-to-day life and termed staging of the global competition as a huge risk from health's point of view.

'The biggest challenge that the Australian government is facing these days are the restrictions it has put in place on travel. They are extremely cautious in dealing with the prevailing circumstances because of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. It would be a massive risk and if God forbid, any of the players contracts Covid-19, that would lead to great panic everywhere,' Mani said.

'And although there have been much less casualties as compared to rest of the world, it would be very, very demanding to host teams competing in the T20 World Cup. Logistically speaking, I fear that a postponement is imminent at this point in time because it's not a small matter of couple of countries but as many as 15 of them, apart from the host nation [Australia] will be participating. Travelling will be the biggest concern and there'll be other related issues as well. That's I think it is almost impossible for the event to be played this year on schedule.

'I'm saying through my regular contacts with the ICC because I'm chairman of the finance committee there. The ICC, therefore, will look for a window next year to hold the competition because I don't think it will be feasible that we will see any ICC tournament taking place in 2020, and will probably be deferred for at least a year,' the 75-year-old cricket administrator, who is a charted accountant by profession, went on.

'The ICC have lined up another World Twenty [for men] in 2021 and the 50-over World Cup in 2023. Both those events are slated to be hosted by India. But if the coming T20 World T20 is put off then new plans have to be drawn up by the ICC unless the current situation changes dramatically and the tournament goes ahead this year itself in bio-secure conditions [no fans allowed at the matches and social distancing rules for the players] It's a dicey situation because the stakeholders have to e taken on board before reaching a final verdict whether to go ahead [with the tournament].

The PCB chairman...