Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League has postponed its third round matches due to the growing concern over coronavirus in the country. The decision from Bangladesh Cricket Board [BCB] and Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis [CCDM] has taken the stance following the Ministry of Youth and Sports decision to postpone all sorts of sports activities in Bangladesh.
“The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided to postpone the 3rd round of matches of the ongoing Bangabandhu DPDCL 2019-20 scheduled on 18 and 19 March 2020 due to unavoidable circumstances,” said a BCB media release on Monday evening.
“The BCB will take further decision on rescheduling and restarting the league according to the health and safety advisory of the Bangladesh Government,” the media release added.
Earlier on the day, last phase of Bangladesh national cricket team’s tour of Pakistan was postponed by Pakistan Cricket Board [PCB]. Bangladesh national team was scheduled to travel to Pakistan later this month for a one-off ODI and the second and the final Test of the series.
#Bangladesh postpones all #sports activities https://t.co/tBMVglFzLg
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) March 16, 2020
The rapid spread of the coronavirus has caused cancellations and postponements of sporting events around the globe. BCB last week was also forced to postpone a mega concert and a two-match T20I series between a World XI and Asia XI to mark the 100th birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
England cricket team left Sri Lanka before the series could begin while New Zealand has called off the series against hosts Australia. The ODI series between South Africa and hosts India has also been cancelled half way through while the India Premier League T20 is now to raise curtain on April 15 instead of March 29. In the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League T20 in Pakistan, at least 10 overseas cricketers have left the tournament before completion with rising concern of the virus that has been termed ‘pandemic’ by World Health Organization [WHO].
