T20 World Cup Cannot Be Played 'Behind Closed Doors': Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram believes the 2020 T20 World Cup cannot be played behind closed doors and the global governing council should wait for a suitable time to host the marquee tournament. The global governing council were set to decide the fate of T20 World Cup on May 28, but following the board meeting which majorly focused on the “issue of confidentiality” and ended with the setting up of an “independent” investigation into the matter, the decision on the marquee tournament has been deferred to June 10.

The T20 World Cup in Australia is originally slated to get underway in October but due to the lockdown situation enforced to withstand the Covid-19 pandemic it might be postponed to next year. To arrange the logistics beforehand will be major task for the global governing council due to the pandemic situation.

Playing T20 World Cup behind closed door is not a good idea: Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram is not in favour of the governing council hosting a T20 World Cup behind closed doors. He believes a World Cup is about crowds and spectators coming from across the globe to support their teams and cannot be played behind closed doors.

“Personally, I don’t think it’s a good idea. I mean, how could you have a cricket World Cup without spectators,” Akram told ‘The News’ on Thursday.

“A World Cup is all about big crowds, spectators coming from all parts of the globe to support their teams. It’s all about atmosphere and you cannot get it behind closed doors,” he said.

“So I believe that they (ICC) should wait for a more suitable time and once this pandemic subsides and restrictions are eased then we can have a proper World Cup,” he added.

Akram also said allowing sweat to polish the ball is not enough and ICC should allow a ‘quick-fix’ to the problems.