Former Australia batsman Matthew Hayden has said that the chances of this year’s T20 World Cup taking place as scheduled in Australia are very slim.

“I would think it is very slim,” Hayden said in an exclusive interview with Sportstar. “To put in perspective what happened in the last few months, the global economy has tanked, we have financial currencies in ruin, we have seen the number of deaths go up. I never thought I would see a time like the global financial crisis of 2008. Clearly I was wrong. This one beats that. To make a call on cricket is insignificant and disrespectful to the times we are living.”

However, the former batsman added that sport can play a crucial role during this crisis. “These are very difficult times and cricket has a role to play but only when there is significant advice from global experts not only about the safety and well-being of the cricketers but the entire group of people cricket brings with it. It should sit with those guidelines and requirements and not a second before. Almost every industry is hurting. Timelines need to be pushed. Entertainment is gold right now.”

He supported the idea of organising cricket fixtures behind closed doors but said that humanity must be the main priority.

Hayden feels the idea of prohibiting the application of saliva to shine the cricket ball is ridiculous and says the game should pause before returning with the same conditions that existed before the crisis.