IPL 2021: BCCI likely to postpone this year's Women's T20 Challenge due to COVID-19

IPL 2021: BCCI likely to postpone this year's Women's T20 Challenge due to COVID-19. (BCCI/File Photo)

A day after Australian cricketers Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson chose to opt out of the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League, the BCCI is likely to postpone the fourth edition of the Women's T20 Challenge.

As per a report in ESPNCricinfo, the cricket governing body has decided to take the step as there are high chances of foreign players not taking part in the tournament due to the second wave of COVID-19 in the country, thus leading to international travel restrictions imposed by other nations. 

However, no official announcemnet has been made in this regard by the BCCI.  

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A day earlier, Australia suspended all direct passenger flights from India. 

The Women T20 Challenge generally takes place during the IPL playoffs week and going by a similar pattern theT20 Challenge, if it goes ahead, will be played towards the end of May.

The women's tournament is generally played at a single venue and as per the report, this year BCCI was planning to schedule the all the T20 Challenger matches in Delhi before COVID case spiked in the country.  

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The T20 Challenge was first played in 2018 as a one-off exhibition match comprising two teams. In the following year, the competition was expanded with three teams - Velocity, Supernovas, and Trailblazers - contesting in a total of four games, including the final.