Just like other sports, cricket too was suspended following the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Once then many bilateral series, Indian Premier League 2020 and other tournaments have been either postponed or cancelled. The last international cricket match was played on March 13 between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in front of an empty stadium, and then subsequently, the remaining two One-Day Internationals (ODIs) of the three-matches series were cancelled. IPL 2020, which was scheduled to begin on March 29, was postponed to April 15 before being deferred indefinitely. Is it Going to be IPL 13 vs ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Once Coronavirus Pandemic Ends?.
Cricket fans are now awaiting the return of live cricket. There have been talks of resumption of cricket behind closed doors, but some are against the idea. ICC will be hosting the high profile T20 World Cup 2020 this year in October-November in Australia. Though there have been reports of the tournament likely to be postponed, ICC is likely to go for the wait and watch approach. If everything goes well, we could see the T20 World Cup being held on time.
At least, till the end of June, cricket is likely to stay off the field. England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said that no professional cricket will take place July 01. Originally, the season in England was scheduled to begin in mid-April. With bilateral cricket series postponed, it will be difficult for BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) find a suitable window for IPL 2020 now. England Can Host West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Ireland Between July-September in Front of Empty Stadiums Amid Coronavirus Crisis.
Most countries have placed travel restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that’s something which will defer the resumption of cricket. However, the situation will be clear in the coming months, and there is a possibility of cricket resuming somewhere close to September.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 06, 2020 11:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).