The International Cricket Council (ICC) has postponed its scheduled board meetings scheduled to be held in Doha, Qatar from March 25 to 27, citing the prevailing situation in the region.
The decision, which was announced to member states on Saturday ahead of the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad, was described as inevitable given the current situation in the Middle East.
Although the meetings are expected to be rescheduled for sometime in April, a confirmed date is yet to be announced. Sources indicate that the ICC is actively looking for an alternative venue on the Asian continent to host the meeting.
The Doha meetings were aimed at bringing together ICC Board Directors, Chief Executives, Committee Members and senior leaders as part of the organization’s regular governance calendar.
The assembly was billed as an important opportunity to discuss important issues affecting both the present and future of global sport.
When the ICC first announced Qatar as the host country on February 22, it highlighted the country’s growing involvement with cricket and its vast sporting infrastructure.
The governing body noted that its collaboration with the Qatar Cricket Association and the Olympic Committee had spurred “significant progress” for the sport in recent years.
Meanwhile, several ICC officials are expected to arrive in Ahmedabad for the T20 World Cup final on Sunday.
The host city is the home base of ICC President Jay Shah. Among those expected to attend the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium is New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief Roger Douce, who is vying for the Black Caps title.
Other notable attendees included Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) president Tavengwa Mukhlani and Cricket South Africa (CSA) president Dr Mohamed Musaji and several other team representatives.
However, Bangladesh Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Aminul Islam is not expected to attend as he is believed to be in Melbourne. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mosheen Naqvi will also not participate.