The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is confident that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will finally decide on the fate of the T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November during the conference call on Thursday.
While the Indian board is happy to tour Australia later in the year if circumstances permit, they are not in the mood to exchange hosting rights for the 2021 edition of the T20 World Cup with Cricket Australia (CA).
One of the possibilities floated was that CA host the 2021 edition and India host the 2020 edition in 2022.
Speaking to IANS, a BCCI official in the know of developments said that a final call is expected on the fate of this year's T20 World Cup on Thursday, but also added that it is unlikely that India will get into any deal when it comes to exchanging hosting rights of the showpiece event with CA.
"It is expected that we will get a clear picture in this meeting. You cannot keep delaying things when it is a showpiece event and involves so many teams and such logistical arrangements. As for one of the ideas that BCCI may hand the hosting rights of the 2021 edition to CA and us hosting the 2022 edition of the T20 World Cup, I honestly don't see that happening. If the T20 World Cup doesn't happen in Australia in 2020 then it will in 2022 is what we feel," the official explained.
So does that then mean that India's next international assignment would be the tour of Australia?
The official said that if normalcy returns and the coronavirus pandemic is under control, that tour is definitely on.
"The series against Australia is definitely on unless we have a situation where travelling or playing becomes impossible due to the coronavirus pandemic. Things are definitely looking better and we believe that we will be in a position to make that trip post the IPL," the official explained.
Is that a signal that the 13th edition of the IPL is on?
The official once again pointed at the effect the coronavirus pandemic and the government's clearance.
"It all depends on the circumstances. If the situation improves as it is and if the government does give the go-ahead then absolutely we will have the IPL. Every player you speak to has been telling you that they are keen to be a part of the league and how they cannot wait for the tournament to happen. The feeling is same in the board as well. But the decision of the government is final and only after they say that the situation is right for a sporting event to happen that we will go ahead with the event during the end of September to early November window," the official said.
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