MUSCAT: Oman will co-host the prestigious T20 World Cup with UAE this year, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it would not be possible to host the tournament in India due to the pandemic, The Arabian Stories (TAS) has learnt.

BCCI President Saurav Ganguly has confirmed that Oman will be hosting the qualifiers, while the main group matches will be held in UAE.

Meanwhile, speaking to TAS, a top Oman Cricket (OC) official said they are yet to receive the official confirmation from ICC but is certain to host the preliminary rounds in Muscat. “We are yet to receive the official confirmation but it is almost certain that we will be hosting the qualifiers,” he said.

While the BCCI still have the hosting rights, the tournament will be held across four venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Muscat between October 17 and November 14.

“We are still finalising the dates. But it has been decided that the qualifiers will be held in Oman while the main group matches will be played in the UAE,” BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly told popular magazine Sportstar on Monday.

It is believed that the teams which will feature in the qualifiers will directly travel to Oman and enter the bio-bubble and only the teams qualifying to the main stage will be heading to the UAE.

Ganguly also said that the BCCI has informed the ICC its plans to shift the tournament out of India due to the Covid-19 pandemic.