Peter Handscomb optimistic for T20 World Cup in Australia

Australia batsman Peter Handscomb said he was hopeful the Twenty20 World Cup would proceed as planned later this year.

Australia batsman Peter Handscomb says progress made by the football codes on restarting their seasons offers optimism for the T20 World Cup scheduled to start in Australia in October. Picture: Getty Images

Australia batsman Peter Handscomb said he was hopeful the Twenty20 World Cup would proceed as planned later this year, citing signs that other Australian sports were preparing to end COVID-19-related suspensions as the reason for optimism.

All sports including cricket are currently on hold in Australia and strict travel restrictions have cast doubt on whether the 16-nation tournament will go ahead in October and November.

But Australia’s success in containing the virus has seen the NRL and AFL competitions working on plans to resume matches in the not too distant future.

“Looking at what other sports are trying to do at the moment, it’s great to see the football codes in Australia are looking to get back soon at least to training,” Handscomb said on Thursday.

“They’re going to try to start their seasons end of May, June-July. That could set a real good precedent for sport in Australia coming into our summer.”

Handscomb conceded the international nature of the T20 tournament made it a more complicated proposition than domestic sporting contests, but said the signs were positive.

Australia’s T20 captain Aaron Finch also believed the showpiece event would go ahead, even if it was delayed and played behind closed doors.

“I think we might have to get our heads around a T20 World Cup that might be postponed for a month, two months, three months, whatever it has to be,” Finch told Melbourne’s SEN Radio on Wednesday.

“But as long as we can get live sport up and running. Whether that’s with crowds or not, I don’t think that makes any difference to the players.”

International Cricket Council officials are holding a conference call later on Thursday to discuss the international schedule.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White on Thursday said no decision on the possible postponement of the tournament could be taken before July.

“There’s contingency planning going on and lots of discussions but no decisions will be made,” White told reporters in a conference call.

“If decisions are made … it will be in July,”

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar suggested this week that India could host the World Cup if Australia continues to bar foreigners because of the virus.

AFP