The 2021 men’s T20 World Cup is likely to be played in the UAE

Dubai: Accoording to sources BCCI has started to plan out the 16-team tournament as it cannot happen in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the current plan, the first round of the T20 World Cup will be split across two groups and played in the UAE and Oman.

Round 1, which will include 12 matches, will comprise eight teams from which four (top two from each group) would qualify for the Super 12s. Four team from this lot of eight – Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman, Papua New Guinea – will then progress to the Super 12s, joining the top eight ranked T20I teams.

The Super 12s phase is scheduled to start from October 24. The Super 12s, where teams will be split across two groups of six each, will be played at three venues in the UAE – Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. This will be followed by three playoff games – the two semi-finals and the final.

With Round 1 being co-hosted by one of the venues in the UAE and Oman, the BCCI is confident that will offer enough time to refresh the pitches across the main grounds in the UAE for the Super 12s.