'Crowds will be allowed back in the T20 World Cup whenever it is held', says Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley

Amidst the Cricket Australia conundrum, the new interim CEO Nick Hockley has said that If 15 teams can be allowed to enter Australia for the T20 World Cup, then fans will not be stopped from watching live action from the stadiums.

Speaking to cricket.com.au, Nick Hockley sounded optimistic that the crowds will come back but the biggest challenge will be to bring the 15 teams to Australian shores.

"The reality is, and we've got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country," said Nick Hockley.

When asked specifically whether crowds would be permitted by the time borders have opened to the point that 15 teams will be allowed to travel to Australia, Hockley replied in the affirmative.

"That's the current thinking, yes" Hockley added.

Terming the whole process of bringing 15 teams and their support staffs with 7-8 teams in a single city as challenging, Hockley mentioned that Cricket Australia in is the process of working out different possibilities with the ICC.

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The Cricket Australia crisis

Will Australian cricket recuperate soon?

Nick Hockley’s statements come at a time when CA Chairman Earl Eddings, a few days earlier had stated that staging the T20 World Cup was a bit unrealistic at the moment.

Cricket Australia has been battling crisis on many fronts in recent times. Hockley had to ascend the thorny post of Cricket Australia’s CEO replacing Kevin Roberts, with the former replacing Roberts after he was sacked by Cricket Australia 19 months into the role.

The board is going through a financial turmoil and its hopes of earning revenues are pinned on the feasibility of organising the T20 World Cup tournament and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia.

Moreover, there have been news reports coming in which have stated that former England skipper Andrew Strauss is in contention to apply for the post of Cricket Australia’s CEO. The Coronavirus pandemic has surely been a test of resolve for the Australian Board.