UAE may host Women's T20 World Cup 2024 as Bangladesh seeks more time
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is emerging as a potential host for the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup, originally scheduled to be held in Bangladesh from October 3-20.
This development comes after Jay Shah, Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), ruled out India as an alternative venue, leaving the tournament's location in question.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has requested additional time from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to finalize its plans and prevent the tournament from being moved out of the country. The ICC had previously announced the schedule for the Women's T20 World Cup in May 2024, with warm-up matches slated to begin on September 27.
A report from Cricbuzz indicates that the ICC is considering Dubai and Abu Dhabi as possible venues, should the tournament be relocated to the UAE. The BCB has asked for a five-day extension to solidify its hosting capabilities. The ICC is expected to make a final decision by August 20, during an online meeting of the directors, although the main agenda for the meeting is unrelated to the World Cup.
An official from the BCB stated that they are confident in their ability to meet the ICC's requirements and are working on a plan to retain Bangladesh as the host nation. The ICC, meanwhile, is looking for a host country with a time zone similar to Bangladesh's and favorable weather conditions—criteria that the UAE meets.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), known for its world-class infrastructure, has expressed interest in hosting the event.
Other countries, including Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, have also shown interest in hosting the tournament. However, with only about 50 days remaining before the scheduled start, time is running out for a final decision to be made.
The August 20 ICC meeting is primarily focused on finalizing the terms of reference for an inquiry into the delivery of the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and West Indies, but a decision on the Women's T20 World Cup cannot be ruled out. The ICC formed a panel comprising three directors - Roger Twose, Lawson Naidoo, and Imran Khwaja - at its Annual Conference in Colombo last month to address this issue.