'Can't see it happening': Aussie T20 World Cup scenario 'defies belief'

Allan Border can't envisage Australia hosting a Twenty20 World Cup without spectators later this year, declaring it would defy belief.

The T20 World Cup, which remains the only major men's cricket tournament which Australia are yet to win, is scheduled to run from October 18 until November 15.

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However, the COVID-19 pandemic has cast doubt on the 16-team event and prompted organisers to investigate a range of contingency plans.

International travel restrictions and quarantine periods will represent an almighty challenge if they remain in place come October, as is widely expected.

The likely absence of crowds is another stumbling block.

"I just can't imagine playing at empty stadiums ... it defies belief," former Australian captain Border told Fox Sports News.

"Having teams, support staff and everyone else associated with the game wandering around the country, playing games of cricket, but you can't let people into the grounds. I just can't see it happening.

"It's either you play it and everyone just gets on with the job and we're past this pandemic.

"Or it just has to be cancelled and you try to fit it in somewhere else."

Border added a fan-free tournament would "just be about the television-rights revenue".

"Which all sports need. Let's face facts ... as soon as we roll into the cricket season and no cricket is being played, everyone starts hurting in our games as well," he said.

Cricket Australia has started cost-cutting measures and is bracing for a significant financial blow because of the health crisis.

Glenn Maxwell says IPL can work without fans, not World Cup

Aussie cricketer Glenn Maxwell also doesn't think a World Cup without fans can work, but insists it should be an option for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The IPL is scheduled to start on Wednesday but is almost certain to be postponed.

One option that has been floated by the lucrative IPL competition is around the window currently set aside for the World Cup.

The Indian tournament, which still requires overseas travel for its biggest names, is built on the back of huge television revenue which has seen player salaries skyrocket.

And Maxwell, who is one of the biggest names in T20 cricket worldwide, believed if crowds weren't possible for either event the IPL would be a better option to go ahead.

"If you look at the way it's going to be set out, it's going to be hard for us to have crowds there," Maxwell told ABC Grandstand.

"It's going to be hard for us to justify having a World Cup when we can't get people into the grounds. So I can't see it happening in the near future.

"We've got to take care of everyone's health and wellbeing.

"I think if the IPL goes ahead they can probably survive without any crowds, but I can't see the T20 World Cup surviving without any people there."

Maxwell said players still remained in the dark over how the IPL would play out this year.

India are also scheduled to host next year's Twenty20 World Cup in October and November, however that tournament has included a legal battle over tax exemptions.

One option for the ICC could include moving this year's tournament in Australia to next year, in turn removing the situation where two T20 World Cups are played in two years.

The majority of lead-up series to this year's tournament are likely to be abandoned, with Australia T20 series in New Zealand last month one of those cancelled.