The International Cricket Council (ICC) and England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have categorically denied any intention of relocating the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup from the Caribbean islands and the United States to the United Kingdom. Responding separately to speculations regarding the championship’s potential allocation to England, Ireland, and Scotland due to administrative uncertainty in the USA Cricket (USAC), both cricket bodies dismissed the claims.
An ECB spokesperson asserted, “There is absolutely no truth to reports that the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will be moved from the West Indies and the USA. Since the event is organized by the ICC, their statement must be taken as binding and conclusive.”
The 2024 edition of the Twenty20 World Cup, set to be the ninth installment of the tournament, is anticipated to witness the largest-ever participation in an ICC event, with 20 teams and 55 matches. The ICC confirmed that preparations for the event are already underway, including venue inspections that have been recently completed. “Venue inspections have recently been concluded in both host territories, and planning for the event in June 2024 is in full swing,” stated an ICC spokesperson.
Any suggestions of relocating the tournament were deemed as imaginative speculation by an ICC member. Emphasizing that the 2024 event is scheduled for June, the member noted that England is the only feasible alternative location. However, the ECB’s inability to host the championship in 2024 makes it an implausible scenario. The member pointed out that a cursory look at the England venue fixtures for the next year would confirm this fact.
Recent reports have indicated a potential trade-off between the hosts for the 2024 and 2030 editions of the tournament. It was suggested that England, Ireland, and Scotland could host the event next year, while the West Indies and the USA would stage it seven years later, allowing the USAC to address its administrative issues.