#CoronavirusOutbreak: Cricket Australia chief has his say on ICC WT20
What's the story
The coronavirus pandemic that has wrecked havoc around the world to turn things into a worldwide catastrophe. This has seen all sport getting suspended or cancelled at the moment. The manner in which things are going, the ICC T20 World Cup, which is set to be held in October-November, faces uncertainty. Cricket Australia chief has presented his views on the competition.
Comments
Roberts hopes things get back to normal
"We're really hoping that all forms of sport can be played again in a few weeks or a few months' time," CA chief Kevin Roberts told cricket.com.au. "None of us are experts in this situation obviously, so our hope is that we're back in very much normal circumstances come October and November when the men's T20 World Cup is to be played."
ICC World T20
Key details regarding the ICC World T20
Eight teams have already qualified for the ICC World T20 to be held in Australia. Four teams are set to join the main event from the qualifiers. The Super 12 will see two groups in the form of Group 1 and Group 2. West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand are in Group 1. Afghanistan, England, India and South Africa are in Group 2.
Schedule
Here's the ICC T20 World Cup schedule
The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is slated to begin with the pre-qualifiers from October 18-23. This will be followed by the main 12-team competition from October 24. The final will be played on November 15 at the MCG. "At this stage we're planning on November 15, to have a full house at the MCG," Roberts said.
Impact
How coronavirus impacted cricket?
The coronavirus led to the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to get postponed as of now. The Sri Lanka-England Test series was also called off alongside the remaining ODIs between India and South Africa. The limited-overs series (ODIs, T20Is) between Australia and New Zealand was also called off. On Tuesday, the ongoing Pakistan Super League got suspended as well.
Information
Over 7,000 people have died in relation to coronavirus
Meanwhile, the coronavirus has infected more than 180,000 people around the globe, besides taking the lives of over 7,000. China, Italy and Iran are the worst-hit nations. In India, three people have died in relation to the deadly virus.