The coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) has forced Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to adopt precautionary measures for the ongoing Bangladesh-Zimbabwe T20I series, restricting the sale of one ticket per person for the first game of the series.
BCB’s measure will see the Dhaka T20I finish in front of a limited audience, a day after three coronavirus cases were confirmed in Bangladesh, according to the country’s Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research.
The sale restriction of tickets at the Shere-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium was confirmed by BCB media committee chairman, Jalal Yunus. It also puts into focus the special T20I series between an Asia XI and a World XI, slated to be held later this month.
Zimbabwe Tour of Bangladesh 2020
Matchday 🙌
🆚 Zimbabwe
🏆 T20I Series
🏏 1st T20I
🏟 Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
🕑 6:00 PM (BST)#BANvZIM #RiseOfTheTigers pic.twitter.com/7kCpIpj8ea— Bangladesh Cricket (@BCBtigers) March 9, 2020
The T20I series is scheduled to be held on March 20 and 21, nearly ten days after the second T20I against Zimbabwe, on Wednesday. Players such as Lasith Malinga, Rashid Khan, and KL Rahul are reportedly confirmed to play the series, with the organisers also in talks with Virat Kohli for his potential participation.
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Earlier this week, the Everest Premier League, a domestic T20 league in Nepal, had to be postponed following coronavirus fears, with the government requesting people to “refrain from mass gatherings.” However, South Africa’s tour to India and England’s tour to Sri Lanka are set to go ahead as planned.