Australian organisers said postponing the men's T20 World Cup cricket was "absolutely inevitable" Tuesday after the global pandemic forced the tournament to be delayed by a year.

After months of uncertainty, Cricket Australia welcomed the International Cricket Council's decision, saying it provided clarity ahead of an upcoming home season which includes a blockbuster Test series against India.

Delaying the T20 World Cup also frees up a October-November slot in this year's cricketing calendar which could be used to stage the Indian Premier League, possibly in the United Arab Emirates.

However, it is not clear whether the T20 World Cup will now be held in Australia or India, who were originally slated to hold the following edition in 2021 -- which has been shifted to 2022.

The pandemic has played havoc with international sport and CA acting chief executive Nick Hockley said there was no way Australia could host a 16-nation event with the pandemic still raging.

"I think the decision to postpone was absolutely inevitable," he told reporters.

"It allows us to focus with real clarity on the summer ahead."

Under the new arrangements announced on Monday, either Australia or India will host the next T20 World Cup in October-November 2021; then the other nation will hold it in 2022.

The 50-over World Cup in India, originally due to be played in March-April 2023, will be pushed back to October-November of that year, with the final on November 26.

Hockley said CA did not have a preference for hosting the T20 tournament in 2021 or 2022.

"We just want to see two great events go ahead, whether it's '21 or '22 in Australia I'm sure we'll put on a fantastic event," he said.

'Challenging time'

ICC chief executive Manu Sawhney said moving back the 2023 World Cup avoided a fixture pile-up, which would have seen two major tournaments played within a few months of each other.

"It now just gives you a very clear gap between the various things, plus it helps us also make sure that we can plan the events... ensuring the health and safety for all the people concerned," he said.

Hockley downplayed the impact of the changes on CA's finances, saying this year's T20 World Cup had merely been postponed, not cancelled.

"It's been a challenging time for everyone... thankfully, we're not talking about losing any events at all," he said.

"It's really a case of them being held off until we can stage them successfully."

He said the decision to allocate hosting duties between India and Australia in 2021 and 2022 would be made on health grounds and depended on the status of the pandemic.

"It goes back to safety and working with the latest and best available information," he said.

"It comes down to risk and giving ourselves as much certainty as possible."

Hockley said Australia's Test schedule remained unchanged, with a one-off match against Afghanistan in Perth late November followed by four Tests against India in December-January.

But he was doubtful the Australian government would accommodate India cricket chief Sourav Ganguly's suggestion that his superstar team undergo a shortened quarantine after arriving in the country, rather than the standard fortnight.

"I think that two-week quarantine period is pretty well defined," Hockley said.

"What we're working on is that even within that quarantine environment the players will have the absolute best training facilities, so their preparation for the matches is as optimal as it can possibly be."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Jewel Samad

Staging the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia this year in the midst of a global pandemic is 'unrealistic', Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings admitted Tuesday.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from October 18 to November 15, and officials have previously said they are planning for it to proceed on those dates.

But with many global borders still shut due to virus-related travel restrictions, Eddings conceded that was looking increasingly unlikely.

"While it hasn't been formally called off this year, or postponed, trying to get 16 countries into Australia in the current world, where most countries are still going through spiking cases, I think it's unrealistic, or it's going to be very, very difficult," he told reporters.

Eddings said Cricket Australia had put forward a number of options to the International Cricket Council.

"The ICC are having meetings as we speak, it's a bit of a movable feast at the moment," he said.

T20 World Cup chief executive Nick Hockley, who on Tuesday took over as interim Cricket Australia chief, said he expected the ICC to make a decision about the tournament's future next month.

"We've got a fantastic local organising committee who are busy preparing for every eventuality and the decision that will come," he said.

The most likely scenario appears to be rescheduling the tournament until next year, but it will depend on the status of the pandemic and finding a spot in cricket's crowded calendar.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Patrick Hamilton

India have an excellent pool of spin-bowling all-rounders at the moment. Apart from Ravindra Jadeja, who is the first-choice player across all formats at present, India have options like Krunal Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, and even Krishnappa Gowtham, who are proven assets in the limited-overs formats.

Even though India prefer Jadeja in this role ahead of others, irrespective of formats, there is a large faction of people who believe that he is not suitable for T20I in particular. They are not completely wrong, as Jadeja averages in the high 30s with the ball and has a strike-rate of just 122.87 with the bat in his entire T20 career. These numbers aren't quite good enough for someone who is expected to bowl his entire quota of four overs along with scoring quick runs with the bat in the lower order.

Not only that, but three of the four aforementioned options -- Krunal, Patel and Sundar -- also have better batting and bowling returns than Jadeja. The best option among them is probably Krunal Pandya, who has a much higher batting strike-rate of 138.50 compared to Jadeja's corresponding figure of 122.87. Moreover, he takes a far lesser number of deliveries to score a boundary as well. Statistics suggest that Krunal is a better bowler too as he has marginally better bowling numbers than Jadeja.

Their international numbers might suggest otherwise, though. Krunal has a dismal bowling average of 38.42 in T20Is as compared to that of Jadeja's 29.53. However, the Baroda all-rounder had a tough time bowling on Australian wickets and that is the reason behind his poor bowling average. That is not a major concern as players are supposed to learn from their tough experiences. Moreover, his batting numbers in international T20s are far better than that of Jadeja which makes him an outright winner once again.

Metrics	Ravindra Jadeja	Krunal Pandya	Axar Patel	Washington Sundar
Runs per Inn	7.52	13.44	9.71	3.71
Batting SR	101.76	131.52	125.92	162.50
Balls per boundary	14.16	6.57	9	4
Bowl Avg	29.53	38.42	29.44	27.73
Bowl SR	24.9	28.4	26	24
Economy rate	7.10	8.11	6.99	6.93

Table: Comparison of the performances of Jadeja, Krunal, Axar and Sundar in T20Is for India

Jadeja mainly has a bowling role for India in this format as they have a very strong top and middle-order. Krunal's international T20 numbers might not make him look like a reliable candidate for that role but Sundar and Patel are still there with much better bowling returns than the 30-year-old.

So, it is quite baffling to see India's affinity towards Jadeja in this format even though there are three options available who could make the side stronger.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Manjunath Kiran

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SportsAdda.

The pandemic may have struck shortly before the English cricket season was due to start but it threatens to have major implications for the game worldwide. 

English officials still believe they can fit a full international programme of three-Test series against both the West Indies and Pakistan, as well as one-day internationals with Australia and Ireland, into a season that won't start until July 1 at the earliest.

But there is now an expectation that matches will have to be played behind closed doors, in the short-term at least, as a way of stopping the spread of the pandemic.

That would, however, still allow the England and Wales Cricket Board to honour lucrative broadcast contracts and avoid the nightmare scenario of a completely wiped out season that could cost the organisation £380 million ($463 million).

Here's a look at the key issues confronting cricket amid the pandemic.

Will teams go on tour?

West Indies and Pakistan, two of crickets less well-off major teams, have both made encouraging noises about touring England, subject to health concerns and appear to ready to factor a 14-day quarantine on arrival in Britain, because of UK government regulations, into their planning.

Matches are set to be played at 'bio-secure' venues such as Hampshire's Ageas Bowl or Old Trafford that have onsite hotels.

"We are trying to get to England early July so that we can get the quarantine done," said Pakistan Cricket Board chief executive Wasim Khan. 

Australia were meant to play three Twenty20s and three one-day internationals in July but may delay their visit to later in the season after seeing how the West Indies and Pakistan series pan out.

"Obviously we won't jeopardise the safety of the players," Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

"But the best test of that is the West Indian and Pakistan tours of England before we're due to tour. We hope they go off without a hitch."

What will cricket look like?

Even if a rescheduled series between England and the West Indies starts in July, the game itself will look very different.

Not only will there be no spectators but wicket celebrations such as 'high fives' are set to be banned according to International Cricket Council guidelines issued last week. 

Umpires have also been instructed to wear gloves to minimise the risk of infection, with bowlers no longer handing their cap and sweater to officials for the same reason.

Another 'interim' measure, which still requires approval at a June vote, would see bowlers banned from using saliva to shine the ball to aid swing, although they will still be allowed to apply their own sweat.

Travel restrictions could see two umpires from a home nation stand in a Test for the first time since 1994 when the ICC started moving towards neutral officials to counter accusations of bias.

The ICC's cricket committee also said last week each team should be awarded an additional DRS review per innings.

Meanwhile, Chris Broad, the only Englishman on the ICC's elite panel of referees, may have to officiate in matches involving his son Stuart, the England fast bowler. 

What will happen to the Twenty20 World Cup and Indian T20 League?

An ICC board meeting on Thursday, May 28, could see the men's Twenty20 World Cup, due to held in Australia from October 18, postponed.

Problems over flying in 16 teams to Australia may be reason enough to delay the event by a year.

That would allow the already postponed franchise Indian T20 League, the world's wealthiest T20 competition, to go ahead in its place.

Manoj Badale, a part-owner of the Rajasthan, told the London Daily Telegraph last month: "No Indian T20 League (in 2020) would be a big $600 million loss for the global cricket economy."

South African director of cricket Graeme Smith has called for India's Sourav Ganguly, a fellow former Test captain, to become the next ICC chairman.

The Proteas, hard hit by the low value of South Africa's rand, hope to host a three-match T20 series against India in August.

What does this mean for women's cricket?

The women's game was riding the crest of a wave after a crowd of over 86,000 in Melbourne saw hosts Australia beat India in the final of the T20 World Cup in March, shortly before global sport went into lockdown.

But Clare Connor, the ECB's managing director of women's cricket, has accepted her side of the game may have to be sacrificed completely in order for more lucrative men's matches to go ahead this season.

But there are hopes a series with South Africa could still take place in September.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Marty Melville

The concept of T20 cricket revolved around entertainment, and batsmen bashing bowlers around the park was the ultimate crowd puller. The rules were set in favour of batsmen to feed the entertainment factor, and soon enough, run-scoring touched unprecedented heights.

We look at the bowlers that bore the brunt of the sheer brutality by batsmen and registered the most unwanted figures in the history of T20 International cricket.

Kasun Rajitha - 4-0-75-0 vs Australia

Two months after the worst spell in T20Is was registered, Sri Lankan pacer Kasun Rajitha rewrote the record at the Adelaide Oval in the first T20I against Australia.

Read | Three best spells in T20 World Cup

A 56-ball 100 from David Warner and a 36-ball 64 from Aaron Finch powered Australia to 233. Rajitha went for 75 in his four-over spell; the worst in the history of T20Is. The Lankan pacer conceded 11 in his opening over and 21 in his next, the fifth over of the innings. In his third, Rajitha went for 25 runs as he went to 57 in three overs. He was brought back in the 18th over only to concede a further 18 runs and break the record. 

Tunahan Turan - 4-0-70-1 vs Czech Republic

Turkey medium-pacer Tunahan Turan registered the second-worst figures in the history of T20Is in 2019 as Czech Republic batsmen went on a rampage in the Continental Cup in 2019.

Powered by Sudesh Wickramasekara's 35-ball century, the joint-fastest hundred in T20Is, Czech Republic blasted 278 in their quota of 20 overs, the joint-highest total in the history of T20 International cricket. Bearing the brunt of Wickramasekara's extraordinary hitting was Turan who conceded 70 runs in his four-over spell. While Turan did return with a wicket, an economy rate of 17.5 and the worst spell in T20Is at the time nearly broke his bowling career.

Barry McCarthy - 4-0-69-0 vs Afghanistan

Afghanistan went on a rampage in their adopted home ground in Noida in a T20I against Ireland in 2017.

Read | Three non-contracted Indian players who could be a hit in foreign leagues

Barry McCarthy, who opened the bowling attack, conceded 69 in his four-over spell as Afghanistan racked up 233 on board. McCarthy went for 26 in his first two overs as Mohammad Shahzad went on the offensive. The pacer couldn't quite get back into the groove after a poor start and went on to concede a whopping 43 runs in his last two overs as he registered shocking figures of 4-0-69-0 in his four-over spell.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Indranil Mukherjee

Former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis said quarantining players for two weeks before and after the Twenty20 World Cup could allow it to take place in Australia this year despite the coronavirus pandemic.

The tournament is due to be played in October-November but there is uncertainty after the cancellation of other major sporting events. Some countries have also grounded international flights.

"I read that travelling is going to be an issue for lots of countries," du Plessis said during a live conversation on Facebook with Bangladeshi opener Tamim Iqbal late Wednesday.

"Obviously Australia is not affected like other countries, but to get people from Bangladesh, South Africa or India where there is more danger with the virus, obviously it's a health risk to them.

"But you can actually go in before the tournament (for) two weeks' isolation and then play the tournament and afterwards, two weeks' isolation."

The game's governing body, the International Cricket Council, on Tuesday postponed qualifiers for next year's women's World Cup and the 2022 Under-19 World Cup.

Read | India could host T20 World Cup, says Gavaskar

Both were due to be held in July.

The ICC said in April that planning for the Twenty20 World Cup was still going ahead as scheduled.

Du Plessis also spoke about his team's heartbreaking loss to New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup semi-final.

"I've never been that much broken about a cricket match," he said.

"That game specifically I have never seen so many grown men absolutely broken. Like half the team was crying and you know South Africans, we act like we are hard guys."

Feature image courtesy: AFP / Christiaan Kotze

Steve Smith and David Warner completed their return from the wilderness Tuesday when Australia recalled them to a 14-man Twenty20 squad to play Sri Lanka and Pakistan with a firm eye on next year's World Cup.

The star batsmen were both banned for a year for their roles in a ball-tampering scandal but have returned to Australia's Test, one-day and now Twenty20 sides.

"We are delighted to welcome Steve Smith and David Warner back into the T20 international fold," chief selector Trevor Hohns said.

"Steve is a world-class batsman in all formats, while Warner is Australia's highest ever T20I runs scorer. He was also the leading runs scorer at this year's Indian Premier League with Sunrisers Hyderabad."

The Twenty20 squad named Tuesday will face Sri Lanka and Pakistan in coming weeks but Hohns said the focus was firmly on next year's World Cup, which will be held in Australia.

"It is almost a year to the day until Australia hosts the men's Twenty20 World Cup and we have selected this squad with that in mind," he said.

"We have looked to put a squad together that we think can take us through to that tournament."

Despite their success in other formats, Australia have never won a Twenty20 World Cup, with an appearance in the 2010 final their best showing.

They are currently ranked fifth in the world but will be desperate to succeed on home soil in October-November next year.

Aaron Finch retains the skipper's armband, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey and paceman Pat Cummins sharing vice-captain duties.

Ashton Turner returns from a finger injury to bolster the batting, while Adam Zampa edged out Nathan Lyon as the preferred spinner.

Cummins and Mitchell Starc will likely open the bowling attack, backed up by Andrew Tye, Kane Richardson and Billy Stanlake.

The three-match series against Sri Lanka will begin in Adelaide on October 27, followed by another three Twenty20s against Pakistan opening on November 3 in Sydney.

Australia:

Aaron Finch (capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

Featured image courtesy: AFP/ Dibyangshu Sarkar