Biggest challenge is getting 15 teams to Australia for WC: CA CEO Hockley

Sydney

“We have got much more understanding about the situation in recent weeks. The reality is that crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country,” Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked about the situation with regards to fans.

“If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you are talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time is a much more complex exercise.”

In fact, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ehsan Mani also spoke on the same lines recently when he talked about the difficulties that come with creating a bio-secure environment for a multi-nation event.

“We have had a lot of discussions and the feeling is it (T20 World Cup) would not be possible this year. International Cricket Council (ICC) has World Cups lined up in 2021 and 2023, so we have a gap year where we can adjust this event,” Mani, who also heads ICC Finance and Commercial Rights Committee, had told reporters on Wednesday.

The tournament is scheduled to be held from October 18 to November 15, but has been shrouded in doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic. “If some player falls ill or mishap occurs during the event, it will have a big impact and create panic in the cricket world. We can’t take that risk. Having a bio-bubble environment is feasible for a bilateral series like Pakistan in England, but is very difficult when 16 teams are involved.”

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