ICC T20 World Cup 2020: CA may moot reserve days

Melbourne, March 21: Cricket Australia (CA) may propose the introduction of reserve days for the semifinals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the ICC Cricket Committee meeting later this year.

Earlier this month, the ICC had faced a lot of flak for not keeping a reserve day for the knockout stages of the Women's T20 World Cup in Australia. As a result, England were forced to make an exit after their semifinal clash was washed out resulting in India, the higher ranked side in the group stage, progressing to the final.

As the ICC's current playing conditions stand, the men's T20 World Cup, slated to begin here from October 18, will have no reserve days available before the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on November 15.

But, an ICC spokesperson said, according to a report in cricket.au.com., that playing conditions for the Men's T20 World Cup will be discussed in the organisation's Cricket Committee, which is scheduled to meet in the middle of this year, before they are formally signed by the Chief Executives Committee (CEC).

Should any of ICC's member boards wish to suggest changes to playing conditions, they will have opportunity to do so at the CEC gathering, although it's rare for standard playing conditions to be revised at that stage, the ICC spokesperson said, according to the report.

CA Chief Executive Kevin Roberts, who will be part of that CEC meeting, said a case existed for the inclusion of reserve days in the upcoming men's T20 World Cup.

"There's always cause for reflection at the end of any tournament or any season, in terms of how you approach future tournaments," Roberts said. He, however, conceded that there was a valid argument to maintain the playing conditions that governed the preceding women's tournament.
"In saying that, there will be people who suggest there should be semi-final reserve days for the men's. But I'm not sure how the English women's team would feel about that, not having had a reserve day in their leg of the tournament," he said.

"I would imagine the playing conditions are in place for the women's and men's events within this tournament (in 2020) and can be discussed and considered after that's completed."

He said the playing conditions were typically determined before a tournament starts. "We haver got two events here women's and men's within the one tournament, albeit staged at different times of the year," Roberts said.

The last year's men's 50-over World Cup included the provision of reserve days for knock-out finals, in keeping with existing playing conditions for the ICC's men's and women's ODI tournaments.