‘Difficult’ to play T20 World Cup in India – Mike Hussey

NEW DELHI: Having just returned to Australia after recovering from Covid-19 that he picked up during his IPL coaching stint in India, former Australia batter Mike Hussey believes the UAE should be looked at as an alternative for the T20 World Cup later in the year.

As things stand, India is slated to host the event in October-November this year across nine venues, but doubts have emerged ever since the country was gripped with a serious second wave of infections leading to the IPL being postponed earlier this month.

“I think it’s going to be very difficult in my view to play that tournament in India,” Hussey told Fox Cricket upon his return to Sydney, where he is currently at a quarantine facility. He spent two weeks in isolation in India, after being one of three members from the Chennai Super Kings contingent to test positive on May 4.

“We’re talking about eight teams in the IPL. I think there are probably similar number, maybe more teams coming in from overseas [for the T20 World Cup], there’d be more venues. As I said earlier, if they’re playing in different cities, that is when the risk goes up.

“I think they’ll have to look some pretty big contingency plans, perhaps looking at the UAE or somewhere like that that could host the World T20. I think there will be a lot of cricket boards around the world that’d be pretty nervous about going back to India for a cricket tournament.”

While the ICC continues to monitor the situation in India, the UAE, which has been slotted in as a back-up venue, has become a more realistic contender to host the global tournament. The matter will be up for discussion when the ICC Board meets at its annual conference in July.