'I think it is unrealistic' - Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings on T20 World Cup 2020

Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings on Tuesday admitted that hosting T20 World Cup later in the year is “unrealistic” amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia from October 18 to November 15 with ICC slated to take a call on the showpiece event in July.

However, with international travel restrictions still in place, Eddings conceded that the T20 World Cup is 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 COVID spiking, I think it's unrealistic, or it's going to be very, very difficult," he told reporters.

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

Whereas T20 World Cup chief executive Nick Hockley, who was also appointed as interim CEO of Cricket Australia, said he expects the ICC to take a final call on the tournament next months. 

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

- 'Positive chats' –

Australia have allowed crowds up to 10,000 into sports stadiums from next month but strict international border restriction have created an added headache for the organisers. Eddings also said that they have had lots of positive chats with India and the BCCI is very keen about the tour.

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"We've had a lot of very positive chats with India, they're very keen to tour," he said.

"Now it's a matter of how we get over the hurdles with COVID-19 for them to come into the country."

Postponement of the T20 World Cup could have an effect on the Indian Premier League, opening up a window for the IPL with BCCI desperate to stage the cash-rich tournament.