IPL 2020: Ex-Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali rubbishes Shoaib Akhtar's allegation that BCCI forced cancellation of T20 WC

New Delhi, July 23: Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has rejected the claims of Shoaib Akhtar and Rashid Latif that the ICC buckled under pressure from the BCCI to cancel the T20 World Cup 2020 to facilitate the hosting of IPL 2020.

Both Akhtar and Latif lashed out at the Indian cricket board for showing its clout and forcing the apex cricket body to postpone the T20 WC scheduled in Australia this year. The BCCI is going to host the IPL 2020 in the late September and early November window and UAE is going to be the most likely venue for India's homegrown T20 league.

However, Basit Ali countered the claims made by former Pakistan cricketers and claimed the fate of the ICC T20 World Cup was decided long back as Cricket Australia had refused to host the tournament in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

Basit instead blamed former ICC chairman Shashank Manohar for the delay as he was deliberately delaying the formal announcement on T20 WC and deny BCCI the time to host IPL 2020.

"The BCCI has no role behind the cancellation of T20 WC. It was former ICC chairman Shashank Manohar who was delaying the formal announcement. His plan was simple i.e. announce the cancellation of T20 one-and-a-half months prior to the WC date so that BCCI doesn't get the time to organise IPL 2020. The Indian audience wouldn't like it but sadly it is true," Basit said on his YouTube channel.

Ali further revealed that contrary to the general perception, BCCI has helped Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Basit Ali claimed that BCCI was the first one to support PCB against playing T20 World Cup 2021 in February-March next year, which is the window for Pakistan Super League (PSL). The BCCI's support to the PCB ensured the T20 WC was postponed to October-November next year.

"In the meeting, it was decided that the World Cup will not happen. There was a suggestion in the meeting that this World Cup that was postponed should be held in February-March 2021. PCB said that they would not agree because their PSL happens at the same time and the earnings from that are used in our domestic cricket," Ali added further.

"BCCI was the first to say that PCB (Ehsan Mani) was saying the correct thing and how they can withdraw their event which is scheduled in February-March. After that ECB head also spoke in our favour. Because of that, the ICC dropped the idea of holding the World Cup that was planned to be held together in Australia and New Zealand in February-March," he added further.