Picture used for illustrative purpose only.
Mohammad Abdullah, Staff Reporter
Fans were overwhelmed with the joy after the cricket’s world governing body confirmed the staging of the Twenty20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) stamped its approval on the arrival of the showpiece event to the UAE, one day after the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) expressed their inability to host the cricketing spectacle due to the prevailing coronavirus situation in the country.
The ICC confirmed in a statement that the World Cup will be held in the UAE from Oct.17 to Nov.14 across three venues – Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah – with some initial matches taking place in Oman.
It is for the first time in the history of the game, that the World Cup will be played on the land of a non-Test playing nation.
“Our priority is to deliver a safe T20 World Cup in its current window,” said Geoff Allardice, acting ICC CEO in a statement.
“Whilst we are incredibly disappointed not to be hosting the event in India, the decision gives us the certainty we need to stage the event in a country that is a proven international host of multi-team events in a bio-secure environment.
“We will work closely with the BCCI, the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and Oman Cricket to ensure fans can enjoy a wonderful celebration of cricket,” he added.
“ECB is honoured that the BCCI and the ICC have entrusted us with staging and delivering the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup,” said Khalid Al Zarooni, Vice President of the ECB, in a statement.
“The UAE’s reputation as being a safe country in which to host high-profile sporting events is a strong compliment to our government’s unwavering commitment to implementing and monitoring effective health practices during the pandemic.
“Having hosted a number of high-profile tournaments in recent months our team is well-prepared and…