The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday decided to "continue to assess and evaluate the rapidly changing public health situation caused by COVID-19" before deciding the fate of the 2020 T20 World Cup, scheduled for October–November in Australia.
The waiting game from the sport's world governing body is sure to impact Indian Premier League's (IPL) decision too. Many believe that the Board of Indian Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could utilise the World Cup's slot in the international cricket calendar to organise the cash-rich T20 league, if the mega-event Down Under is postponed.
The ICC, in a press release, said that the Board "agreed to continue exploring a number of contingency plans regarding the future of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2020 and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2021 until next month whilst planning for delivery of the events in the scheduled window is ongoing."
"The Board expressed its desire to continue to assess and evaluate the rapidly changing public health situation caused by COVID-19 working with key stakeholders including governments to explore how the events can be staged to protect the health and safety of everyone involved.
"This contingency planning process will evaluate health and safety, cricket, partner and host considerations ensuring any decision taken is in the best interests of the sport, its Members and fans," it read.
The ICC also extended the deadline for BCCI to resolve the issue of tax exemptions till December this year. The decisions were taken during the ICC Board meeting held on Wednesday. The Indian cricket board needs the mandatory tax exemption from the government to host ICC tournaments.
"The Board discussed the ongoing issue of tax exemptions required for ICC events and agreed to extend the deadline given to the BCCI to provide a tax solution to December 2020," the statement added.
As for the independent investigation that was called for during the last meeting after reports were leaked in the media, the release said: "The board received an update on the independent investigation into confidentiality of board matters. The enquiry, which is being led by the ICC Ethics Officer, will be supported administratively by a sub-group of the board comprising Independent Director Indra Nooyi and Chair of the F&CA Ehsan Mani. All members of the board and ICC management are party to the enquiry."
ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “The situation surrounding the global pandemic is evolving rapidly and we want to give ourselves the best possible opportunity to make the right decision for the whole sport. The health and well-being of everyone involved is our priority and other considerations fall out from that.
“We will only get one chance to make this decision and it needs to be the right one and as such we will continue to consult with our Members, broadcasters, partners, governments and players and to ensure that we make a well informed decision.”
Earlier in the day, the ICC promised that it will exercise the "common sense" approach if cricketers opt to express solidarity to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.
"The ICC stands against racism and is proud of the diversity of our sport," an ICC spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. "We support players using their platform to appropriately express their support for a more equitable society. We will exercise a common sense approach to the implementation of regulations in relation to this issue and they will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by the match officials."
'Black Lives Matter' protests intensified across the US after George Floyd, an African-American man, passed away after having a knee pressed into his neck by a police officer identified as Derek Chauvin.
