The cricket’s world body said Tuesday the Twenty20 World Cup is going to be staged within the United Arab Emirates and Oman from October 17 to November 14 thanks to the coronavirus situation in India.
“Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 safely, fully, and in its current window,” said Geoff Allardice, acting chief executive of the International Cricket Council.
“Whilst we are incredibly disappointed to not be hosting the event in India, the choice gives us the knowledge we’d like to stage the event during a country that’s a proven international host of multi-team events during a bio-secure environment.”
The tournament was originally meant to require a place in India but the Board of Control for Cricket in India had told AFP on Monday the tournament would be shifted out thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event will now be held across four venues, the Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and therefore the Oman Cricket Academy Ground.
The UAE has been a preferred destination for cricket because the Pakistan Super League was completed last week within the Gulf nation.
The suspended IPL has been moved to the UAE in September-October after being successfully played within the Gulf nation last year.
The first round of the T20 World Cup, comprising eight qualifying teams, is going to be split between Oman and UAE. Four of those teams will then reach the Super 12s round where they’re going to join the eight automatic qualifiers.
The teams competing within the preliminary stage are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman, and Papua New Guinea, before the play-off stage and therefore the final on November 14.
