COVID HALTS CRICKET
India were scheduled to tour in June for three ODIs and three T20Is. © AFP
The BCCI, on Friday (June 12), confirmed that the Indian team won’t travel to Sri Lanka for the bilateral series owing to the Covid-19 pandemic while also adding that their scheduled tour of Zimbabwe in August won’t be possible for the same reason. India were scheduled to play three ODIs and three T20Is against Sri Lanka from June 24 while the Zimbabwe tour, which included three ODIs, was to start on August 22.
“The Indian Cricket Team will not travel to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe owing to the current threat of COVID-19. Team India was originally scheduled to travel to the island nation from 24th June 2020 for three ODIs and as many T20Is and to Zimbabwe for a series comprising three ODIs starting 22nd August 2020,” a BCCI media release stated.
The BCCI also reiterated that a camp for its contracted players will only happen once it is “completely safe to train outdoors”. “The BCCI is determined to take steps towards the resumption of international and domestic cricket, but it will not rush into any decision that will jeopardize the efforts put in by the Central and State governments and several other respective agencies in containing the spread of the coronavirus.
“The Office-Bearers have been taking note of advisories issued by the Government of India and the Board is committed to fully comply with the restrictions imposed and guidelines issued. The BCCI will continue to study and evaluate the changing situation,” stated the release.
Earlier, Sri Lanka Cricket had announced that India’s visit in June won’t go ahead as per plans. “The India National Team Tour of Sri Lanka, which was scheduled to take place during the month of June, 2020 will not go ahead, as scheduled,” stated an SLC media release.
However, the tour hasn’t been entirely called off and the two boards – SLC and BCCI – remain committed to the FTP. They will now look at an alternate window for the limited-overs series.
With Bangladesh looking unlikely to travel to Sri Lanka in July for the three-match Test series, SLC will hope the marquee series against India is eventually green-lighted. The BCCI-SLC understanding may also extend to Sri Lanka potentially hosting the Indian Premier League as well later this year with Brijesh Patel, the IPL Governing Council Chairman, even stating that BCCI remains open to shifting the tournament out of India this year if needed.
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