All recent news reports regarding sports start with unfortunate information. Sports events are being canceled worldwide due to the COVID-19 outbreak. India is no different from the rest of the world when it comes to prioritizing the health and safety of its citizens.
The last India cricket match that was scheduled to happen on March 12 between India and South Africa was abandoned without the ball bowled. After that, all the rest have been canceled until stated otherwise.
Nonetheless, cricket is still one of the main topics in India. Everyone is trying to predict the development of the current situation and the impact it will have on the whole cricket season. We’ve tried to find some information regarding this issue, as well as the details about the cancelation of the last match. Therefore, make yourself a coffee and let’s start.
The complete ban on cricket matches in India surprised both the players and the fans, as the game had taken a central place in Indian culture since its humble beginnings in 1721. From that moment on, cricket games were only paused during the World Wars, and even then the ban was not absolute. However, faced with the “invisible enemy” called coronavirus, cricket officials had to make a move and obey the new rules.
The first official suspension hit the Indian Premier League. The competition should have started on March 29, which made its suspension inevitable. As the Indian government introduced visa restrictions and prohibited all public gatherings, all scheduled cricket matches had to be postponed until April 15 at the earliest. What’s more, the area in which the BCCI is located is under complete lockdown and no organization will operate there until the end of March.
Still, state officials decided not to cancel the whole season yet. They plan to monitor the situation and go one step at the time. After April 15, the state will make further moves regarding the upcoming cricket matches. Until then, only the competitions scheduled for the near future will be affected.
India and South Africa have some unfinished business when it comes to the ODI series. Both teams had been intensely preparing for the game scheduled for March 12 when they were informed that the match must be played behind closed doors. The reason for such a decision was the coronavirus pandemic that started spreading rapidly.
However, soon after, team officials got new information. The BCCI changed the decision from playing without the audience to not playing at all. Additionally, the BCCI decided to cancel the matches scheduled for March 15 and March 18, too, as the things with the deadly virus became severe.
In their statement, the BCCI emphasized that South Africa will get another chance to come to India to play the remaining three One Day Internationals. BCCI-CSA agreed to work on the new schedule together.
Even though the news about coronavirus has been broadcasted worldwide, both Indian and South African teams seemed surprised by the complete suspension of the ODI series. This is no wonder, as the decision was made quickly after both teams got their practice schedule.
However, the CEO of Cricket South Africa, Jacques Faul, was grateful that the BCCI made this decision. He believes the issue should be taken seriously, primarily for the benefit of cricket players and the rest of vital team members.
The BCCI also mentioned that this decision was made in accordance with the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. These organizations, together with the Indian government, strongly recommended the cancelation of all mass gatherings, including cricket games.
Postponing the ODI series was not the first difficult decision for the BCCI. Earlier this month, they decided to cancel the Indian Premier League so that the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t get the chance to infect any team members.
Even though the government strongly suggested that everyone should stay at home and go out only when necessary, countless fans still showed up for the game between India and South Africa. This implies that the complete ban on sports activities and other large gatherings was a smart decision that should prevent the virus from spreading.
The last India cricket match that was scheduled to happen on March 12 between India and South Africa was abandoned without the ball bowled. After that, all the rest have been canceled until stated otherwise.
Nonetheless, cricket is still one of the main topics in India. Everyone is trying to predict the development of the current situation and the impact it will have on the whole cricket season. We’ve tried to find some information regarding this issue, as well as the details about the cancelation of the last match. Therefore, make yourself a coffee and let’s start.
Indian Cricket Brought to a Halt
The complete ban on cricket matches in India surprised both the players and the fans, as the game had taken a central place in Indian culture since its humble beginnings in 1721. From that moment on, cricket games were only paused during the World Wars, and even then the ban was not absolute. However, faced with the “invisible enemy” called coronavirus, cricket officials had to make a move and obey the new rules.
The first official suspension hit the Indian Premier League. The competition should have started on March 29, which made its suspension inevitable. As the Indian government introduced visa restrictions and prohibited all public gatherings, all scheduled cricket matches had to be postponed until April 15 at the earliest. What’s more, the area in which the BCCI is located is under complete lockdown and no organization will operate there until the end of March.
Still, state officials decided not to cancel the whole season yet. They plan to monitor the situation and go one step at the time. After April 15, the state will make further moves regarding the upcoming cricket matches. Until then, only the competitions scheduled for the near future will be affected.
Last Cricket Match Got Canceled
India and South Africa have some unfinished business when it comes to the ODI series. Both teams had been intensely preparing for the game scheduled for March 12 when they were informed that the match must be played behind closed doors. The reason for such a decision was the coronavirus pandemic that started spreading rapidly.
However, soon after, team officials got new information. The BCCI changed the decision from playing without the audience to not playing at all. Additionally, the BCCI decided to cancel the matches scheduled for March 15 and March 18, too, as the things with the deadly virus became severe.
In their statement, the BCCI emphasized that South Africa will get another chance to come to India to play the remaining three One Day Internationals. BCCI-CSA agreed to work on the new schedule together.
Even though the news about coronavirus has been broadcasted worldwide, both Indian and South African teams seemed surprised by the complete suspension of the ODI series. This is no wonder, as the decision was made quickly after both teams got their practice schedule.
However, the CEO of Cricket South Africa, Jacques Faul, was grateful that the BCCI made this decision. He believes the issue should be taken seriously, primarily for the benefit of cricket players and the rest of vital team members.
The BCCI also mentioned that this decision was made in accordance with the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. These organizations, together with the Indian government, strongly recommended the cancelation of all mass gatherings, including cricket games.
Postponing the ODI series was not the first difficult decision for the BCCI. Earlier this month, they decided to cancel the Indian Premier League so that the coronavirus pandemic doesn’t get the chance to infect any team members.
Even though the government strongly suggested that everyone should stay at home and go out only when necessary, countless fans still showed up for the game between India and South Africa. This implies that the complete ban on sports activities and other large gatherings was a smart decision that should prevent the virus from spreading.
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