The global health crisis, Coronavirus, has brought a standstill across the globe. All cricketing activities has been either postponed or called-off. A vast number of international series were to take place in the near future but the global pandemic has brough all of them to a halt. The cricket boards of several countries agreed on organizing the game behind closed doors but as the situation got worsened in the latter times, delay was an only option.
The Pakistan Super League (PSL) was going on in the full swing, a sudden lockdown dragged a few of its matches behind closed doors without spectators and then finally, caused an indefinite delay.
Similarly, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is considered as one of the cash-rich T20 leagues, which was to be kicked off by 29th March. The lockdown in India affected the schedule and the owners of the franchise moved it to a latest window of April-May. With an extension in the lockdown by Modi’s government till 3rd May, IPL has been delayed until further notice which will have an adverse effect on the schedule of other series and ICC T20 World Cup 2020.
BCCI ponders over adding two international teams simultaneously
A severe delay in the series and the affect India cricket is facing, have forced the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) to add two simultaneous teams at a time at International level.
Once the lockdown settles, BCCI is likely to distribute the squads, different squad for red ball cricket and another squad for white ball cricket. Earlier, captain Morgan of England did the same to play many international games on the same day.
“None of us know when sport, especially international cricket will resume. But if we have to safeguard all our stakeholders – from sponsors to spectators – one of the options is to select two different squads and play a Test series and a T20I series simultaneously,” BCCI was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
If such an incident took place, fans won’t be able to enjoy both the formats in a single day as where T20 or ODI will be happening, Test cricket will be taking place too.
