Dhaka: Bangladesh Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket Board have decided
to postpone the Test and ODI in Karachi due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Bangladesh were due to reach Karachi on March 29, and the ODI was to be played on April 1, while the Test was set to begin on April 5. However, the games have now been postponed.
The COVID-19 outbreak, which has been categorised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, has forced various boards to postpone or cancel international series. South
Africa's three-match ODI series in India and the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in Australia were
halted midway, while the Sri Lanka-England Tests were also postponed. Australia women's
tour of South Africa has also been called off for now.
Various domestic competitions have been affected too. The PSL is being played behind
closed doors, while the IPL has been postponed to April 15 from the scheduled start date
of March 29, an ICC report on Monday said.
The last two rounds of the Plunket Shield in New Zealand have been called off, as well
as the last round of the Sheffield Shield in Australia with the final under threat. Sri Lanka
Cricket have also announced the postponement of their domestic matches.
The first leg of Bangladesh's tour was played in Lahore and Rawalpindi, starting late
January. The visitors lost both completed T20Is and Pakistan dominated the lone Test to
win by an innings and 44 runs.(UNI)