BCCI submits list of venues for T20 World Cup to ICC amid virus surge

The ICC will take a decision on the final venues based primarily on the Covid-19 pandemic situation

(Web Desk) – Day after Pakistan, Britain and the United States imposed its strictest travel curbs on India after an explosion of coronavirus cases, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sent a list of nine venues to ICC for hosting the 2021 Men’s T20 World Cup.

The venues include Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Dharamshala, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai. The venues were decided in the BCCI Apex Council meeting held recently and final decision has been left with the ICC.

With a surge in COVID-19 cases forcing multiple states to impose strict lockdown, couple of full members of the International Cricket Council (ICC) have expressed reservations about travelling to India given the severity of the pandemic at the moment.

The ICC, which runs the global tournaments, will take a decision on the final venues based primarily on the Covid-19 pandemic situation in India.

The 16-team tournament is scheduled to be played between October and November with November 13 being earmarked for the final, scheduled in Ahmedabad. ICC teams are likely to visit the venues to check the preparations towards the end of this April as India battles second wave of Covid-19.

On Monday, Britain imposed its strictest travel curbs on India after an explosion of coronavirus cases there, hours after Prime Minister Boris Johnson called off a trip to New Delhi.

Monday s announcement could have a knock-on effect upon England s upcoming home international cricket schedule.

Several leading England and New Zealand cricketers currently taking part in the lucrative Indian Premier League tournament are expected to fly in for the two-match Test series that starts at London s Lord s ground on June 2.

Indian players could be affected too, with Virat Kohli s men set to face New Zealand in the inaugural World Test Championship final in Southampton later that month.

Meanwhile, the United States has warned against travel to India, where authorities imposed tighter restrictions to combat an explosion of Covid-19 cases.

India has recorded more than three million new infections and 18,000 deaths this month, bringing its caseload to the world s second-highest, after the United States.

India has been struggling to rein in its raging outbreak, with hospitals running out of beds and the government forced to reimpose economically painful restrictions.

Its capital and worst-hit city New Delhi entered a week-long lockdown on Monday, with parks, cinemas and malls closed.

"Delhi s health system is at a tipping point," said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who on Tuesday went into self-isolation after his wife tested positive.

The lockdown announcement prompted tens of thousands of migrant workers to flee Delhi, in scenes reminiscent of the national shutdown a year ago that inflicted economic and human misery.

Mumbai s home state of Maharashtra, the epicentre of the recent surge, on Tuesday further tightened restrictions on grocery shops and home deliveries.