Prospect of T20 World Cup going ahead as planned under 'very high risk': Kevin Roberts

LONDON: Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts on Friday said that there is a 'very high risk about the prospect' of the T20 World Cup taking place as scheduled amid the coronavirus pandemic.
"The timing of the men's T20 World Cup is really a matter for the ICC. Obviously, we've been hopeful all along that it could be staged in October-November. But you'd have to say that there's a very high risk about the prospect of that happening," ESPN Cricinfo quoted Roberts as saying during a virtual media briefing.
The premier tournament is slated to take place between October 18 and November 15.However, there have been rising concerns over the prospect of the tournament going ahead as planned due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Roberts further stated, "In the event that that doesn't happen, there are other potential windows in the February-March period, October-November the following year."
The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday deferred a decision on 'all agenda items' until June 10.
Roberts stressed that the cricket governing body will have to deal with a lot of complexity as there is a T20 World Cup next year, to be held in India, and then men's cricket World Cup in 2023.
"There's implications for ICC events over a number of years. They need to be thinking about when to stage the men's T20 World Cup that's planned for Australia. There's another one planned in India a year later and then in 2023 there's the men's cricket World Cup for India as well," Roberts said.
"And not to forget on the women's side of the ledger, you've got the cricket World Cup in NZ early next year. The ICC is juggling a lot of balls there and looking at the windows that are possible over the coming years," he added.