Cricket Australia plan on discussing issue of reserve days for knockout stages of T20 WC
According to reports, Cricket Australia (CA) might introduce reserve days for the knockout stages of the men's T20 WC scheduled in Australia for October this year. CA are planning to raise this all-important topic at the ICC Cricket Committee meeting later this year.
Recently, the ICC received a lot of flak for not keeping reserve days for the semi-finals of the recently concluded women's T20 WC also held in Australia. Due to this rule, England had to bow out in the semis against India without a ball being bowled.
CA Chief Executive Kevin Roberts stated that there stands a possibility of CA discussing the issue of reserve days for future cricketing events. Speaking to TOI, Roberts said:
"There's always cause for reflection at the end of any tournament or any season, in terms of how you approach future tournaments."
Roberts also feared backlash from the fans of the England women's team for not having a similar rule in their all-important clash against India in the semi-finals. However, Roberts stated that any change in ICC's rule will be taken after thorough discussions.
"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 further stated that the playing conditions were usually determined before the actual tournament started. Last year the 50-over CWC also had reserve days keeping in mind the existing playing conditions for the ICC's men's and women's ODI tournaments.
"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."
"We have got two events here – women's and men's – within the one tournament, albeit staged at different times of the year."