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Nothing wrong in BCCI pushing for IPL if T20 World Cup is postponed: Michael Holding
The coronavirus outbreak brought most sports activities to a halt with players practising social distancing and self-isolation during the pandemic.
Updated : Jun 08, 2020, 09:48 AM IST | Edited by : Snehadri Sarkar
 "Michael Holding")
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Former West Indies cricketer Michael Holding sees nothing wrong if the Indian Premier League (IPL) replaces the T20 World Cup if the international tournament gets called-off amid COVID-19 crisis.
However, Holding also added that the International Cricket Council (ICC) should not be thinking about replacing the T20 World Cup with the IPL right now and should only consider it if the World Cup doesn’t go ahead as planned.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) holds the full authority to conduct the 13th season of the IPL later on in October-November this year too.
"I don’t think ICC is delaying the T20 World Cup because they are making space for the IPL. It’s the Australian government’s law where they are not allowing any visitors into the country before a specific date," Holding said in an Instagram Live with Nikhil Naz.
"But if there is no T20 World Cup, the BCCI has all rights to go ahead and organise a domestic tournament because there’s a space. If they are encroaching on other people’s tournament, you could say okay."
Speaking on the topic of ICC banning the use of saliva on balls as a precautionary measure, Holding said: "First of all, I don’t think this saliva ban is a serious problem. The problem with this ban is that the cricketers will take some time to adjust. It’s a natural reaction when you are on the field and you want to shine the ball, you use saliva."
"All you need to do is to get moisture on the ball and you can get that from your sweat. You don’t have to use the usual saliva. The perspiration from your arm or your forehead will do the same job as saliva."
"And I’ve not heard anyone say that COVID-19 can be spread by perspiration. I don’t think any practical problem in banning saliva. It’s just a logistical problem of people being accustomed to do it and will have to practice not doing it," he added.
The coronavirus outbreak brought most sports activities to a halt with players practising social distancing and self-isolation during the pandemic.
