COVID-19: 'We are planning for ICC World T20 to go ahead'

New Delhi, March 28: The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board met on Friday via teleconference and even as the coronavirus outbreak saw the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being postponed by a year, the international body is still confident of hosting the World T20 later in the year in Australia.

Speaking to IANS after the meeting, sources in the know of developments made it clear that there was no change in plan as far as hosting the men's T20 World Cup is concerned. The World T20 is expected to be played from October 18 to November 15.

"We are planning for the event to go ahead as previously stated and we are considering all contingencies," the source said.

This comes as a huge relief for sports lovers after the pandemic saw the Olympics being postponed on Tuesday as Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that he reached an agreement with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold the Games in 2021.

"I proposed to postpone for about a year and President Bach responded with 100 per cent agreement," Abe told reporters referring to Thomas Bach, head of the IOC.

Abe had a telephonic conversation with Bach on Tuesday after which he told reporters that the pair came to an agreement on the postponement. The IOC had come under increasing pressure from a number of quarters to announce a postponement with restrictions on movement of people being set in countries around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed lives across the globe.

In fact, all sporting events have come to a halt and even the fate of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League is hanging in balance with the government making it clear that the fate of the IPL can be decided only after it comes out with a fresh advisory after April 15, keeping in mind the situation with regards to the coronavirus outbreak.

Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju reiterated that while it is the BCCI which decides on cricketing matters, the pandemic is something which has a direct effect on the loves of the citizens of the country.