Cricket Australia Interim CEO Confirms Fans Will Be Permitted To Watch T20 WC Matches Whenever Tournament Is Held

Nick Hockley, who replaced Kevin Roberts, has said that staging the ICC T20 World Cup with 15 teams seems a big challenge in this time but added that people will be allowed to watch the matches live whenever it is held.

Representational Image Photo: AFP

In light with the ICC T20 World Cup which is slated to be held in Australia later this year, Cricket Australia’s interim CEO Nick Hockley brought in much cheer and hope among fans of the sport by stating that spectators will be allowed inside stadiums whenever the flagship event will be held in Island nation. The fate of the T20 World Cup, which is scheduled to begin in October, is still quite hazy due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 crisis worldwide. The ICC, after its board meeting earlier this month, once again delayed their final decision in making a call on the T20 World Cup to July, saying it wants to take a 'right' decision as it 'gets only one chance to make' it. Nick Hockley, who replaced Kevin Roberts, has said that staging the ICC T20 World Cup with 15 teams seems a big challenge in this time but added that people will be allowed to watch the matches live whenever it is held. “The reality is, and we’ve got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country,” Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to see the World Cup proceed without fans. “If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you’re talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it’s a much more complex exercise.” Talking about his appointment as interim CEO after Kevin Roberts's resignation following months of criticism over his leadership during the Covid-19 shutdown, Hockley said he considers this as a massive responsibility and opportunity.