The T20 World Cup has been delayed to next year as the deadly coronavirus pandemic refuses to go away, the International Cricket Council (ICC) says.
The mega event was originally scheduled to commence in Australia from October 18. The tournament is expected to be played in October and November 2021.
ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney said: “Our number one priority has been to protect the health and safety of everyone involved in the sport,”
He added the decision to postpone the event was taken after careful consideration of all options available and offered the best possible opportunity to deliver two safe and successful T20 World Cups for fans.
There will also be a T20 World Cup in 2022, with the 2023 50-over World Cup in India pushed back until October-November of that year.
In a statement, the ICC said the windows for the next three ICC men's events were agreed to bring clarity to the calendar and give the sport the opportunity over the next three years to recover from the disruption caused by Covid-19.
The ICC decision has also cleared the decks for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to reschedule the Indian Premier League (IPL).
