The dates for the T20 World Cup that was officially moved to the UAE on Monday, 28 June from India has finally been announced. The tournament will be held between October 17-November 14, close to the original window scheduled earlier in the ICC Future Tours Programme. There are four venues, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Oman where the tournament will take place.
The qualifying round will be split between UAE and Oman. This would comprise of eight teams initially out of which four teams will move ahead to the Super 12s round.
"Our priority is to deliver the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 safely, in full and in its current window," said acting ICC CEO Geoff Allardice.
"Whilst we are incredibly disappointed not to be hosting the event in India, the decision gives us the certainty we need to stage the event in a country that is a proven international host of multi-team events in a bio-secure environment,” Allardice added.
The BCCI would remain the hosts for the competition and the president Sourav Ganguly said that the board is looking forward to holding the event in UAE and Oman.
"The BCCI is looking forward to hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 tournament in UAE and Oman," said Ganguly.
"We would have been happier hosting it in India but considering the uncertainty due to the Covid 19 situation and the importance of a world championship, the BCCI will now continue to host this tournament in UAE and Oman. The BCCI is looking forward to creating a spectacle," the president said.
The decision of moving the World T20 to the UAE has come after the Indian Premier League was shifted to the country. The IPL was suspended on May 4 due to a rise in COVID-19 cases within the franchises and will now be resumed in September.
The World T20 was last held five years back in 2016 where West Indies were crowned champions after beating England in the final.