England August 10 :England captain Heather Knight is disappointed with International Cricket Council’s (ICC) decision to postpone the ICC Women’s World Cup 2021 for the next 12 months. The mega event was scheduled in February-March next year in New Zealand. ICC had given the lack of preparatory time for the team because of the coronavirus hiatus as the reason for the postponement of the marquee event.
Also, amid the pandemic, several countries have travel restrictions, which was another big challenge for the apex council to organize the tournament. However, Heather Knight believes that ICC might have gone as per schedule because it was ‘feasible’ in New Zealand.
She is hoping that the ICC’s decision doesn’t become an ‘excuse’ for member nations to push women’s cricket on the back burner.
England Women team skipper Heather Knight. Image Credit: Getty Images.
Heather Knight Expresses Her Disappointment With The Women’s World Cup’s Postponement
‘Pretty gutted to be honest. I know tough decisions have to be made right now & it would have taken a lot of work (and $$), but it was feasible in NZ,’ she tweeted. ‘Hopefully it’s not an excuse for boards to put women’s cricket on the back burner for the next 12 months with no WC to prepare for,’ she wrote on Twitter.
England are the defending champion of ICC Women’s World Cup. They clinched the coveted trophy after defeating India in the grand-finale in 2017. Meanwhile, in 2022, the women’s cricket will have now two ICC events with the T20 World Cup in South Africa already scheduled that year.
Earlier, India’s premier pacer Jhulan Goswami , who would be 39 by 2022, had also desired that ICC might have not shifted the World Cup because of his fitness concern. However, she acknowledged that the decision was right in keeping in mind the prevailing situation.
It was expected that the veteran like Goswami and Indian captain Mithali Raj, would retire after the World Cup last year. But the outbreak of pandemic had marred everyone’s plan. The Indian cricketers will be seen in action during the Women’s T20 Challenge scheduled during the men’s IPL playoff in November in UAE. Cricket Australia had also organised the Women’s Big Bash League at the same time.