Australian Pat Cummins, who was the first among IPL’s overseas stars to come forward with a donation to help in the fight against Covid-19, has said that if hosting the T20 World Cup in India amidst a raging pandemic is a “drain on Indian resources” or is “unsafe”, it would be prudent to shift it to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“If it’s going to be a drain on resources or it’s not going to be safe, then I don’t think it’s right to play it over here (in India). That’s the first question which needs to be answered,” Cummins was quoted as saying by the Age newspaper.
Cummins said cricket authorities should check with the Indian government and do what’s best. “It’s probably too early to say. It’s six months away. The priority should be for cricket authorities to work with the Indian government to see what’s best for the Indian people.”
There was criticism from many quarters as the BCCI went ahead with hosting the IPL even as Covid-19 cases surged in the country. Now with the IPL suspended midway because of bio-bubble breaches, many think that shifting the T20 World Cup out of India will be safer.
Cummins, however, refused to train his gun on the BCCI. “The IPL in the UAE last year was brilliant, it was really well run, but millions of people were saying it should have been played in India, so what do you do? You can see both sides. They set up this tournament with all the best advice,” Cummins said.
The speedster also spoke about how players in a bio-bubble feel helpless when they see the sufferings of the common person outside it.