The World Test Championship final to be held at Lord’s in June next year is set to be postponed while the proposed ODI Super League may be put off indefinitely as the International Cricket Council (ICC)’s chief executives’ committee meets via teleconference on Thursday.
The teleconference, which will bring together representatives of the 12 full members and the three associate boards, will provide an opportunity to collectively consider the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sport.
The Telegraph had reported on Sunday that the process to reschedule the Test Championship cycle and the ODI League would begin this week. Secretary Jay Shah will be the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s representative.
The inaugural edition of the Test Championship, which began with the Ashes last summer, pits the top two teams in the final. But that has run into rough weather with a growing sense of apprehension that not all qualifying matches will be completed before the March 2021 deadline for the league stage.
“Don’t be surprised if the final is shifted from Lord’s to the Melbourne Cricket Ground or the Wanderers! If the final is held in December next year, it could be in India as well. The newly built Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad could be an ideal choice,” a source told this newspaper.
England have already realised that the three-Test series against the West Indies in June will be a non-starter. Joe Root’s men had earlier been forced to cancel their two-Test series in Sri Lanka. Pakistan’s two-Test series against Bangladesh also couldn’t be completed after the first match in Rawalpindi.
In July, England are supposed to host Pakistan while South Africa tour West Indies and Sri Lanka visit Bangladesh. All these series are part of the Test Championship and it is likely that they will have to be deferred.
Virat Kohli’s men lead the Test Championship table with 360 points followed closely by Australia (296). New Zealand and England are a distant third and fourth, respectively.
Each country is scheduled to play six series in the Test Championship with India having so far played the most — four. West Indies and Bangladesh have participated in just one each.
“It is impossible to complete the entire cycle before March next year, even if there’s a dramatic improvement in the situation. You also have to count the World T20 in between in Australia which will take away close to a month’s time. Alternative plans have to be worked out,” the source said.
“Cricket Australia still remains confident of hosting the T20 World Cup in October-November. While most of its staff have been told to lay off, none from the local organising committee for the tournament has been furloughed. In case the tournament has to be put off, it will lead to monumental problems as far as the Future Tours Programme goes.”
The teleconference is an effort by the ICC to get an “understanding from members when cricket might restart and under what conditions”.
