PCB postpones final leg of BD series over virus

KAEACHI: Final leg of Bangladesh’s upcoming cricket tour of Pakistan was postponed on Monday as the coronavirus pandemic plays havoc with sports events across the globe.

Bangladesh were due to play a one-day international on April 1 followed by a Test, as Pakistan slowly re-emerges as a host for international cricket after a decade of isolation. "The Pakistan and Bangladesh cricket boards have decided to postpone the upcoming one-day International and Test in Karachi for a later date," said the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a statement. The PCB has also indefinitely postponed the domestic Pakistan Cup tournament, which was scheduled to start on March 25. The announcement comes days after Pakistan began holding the remaining matches of its domestic cricket league in empty stadiums to prevent the transmission of the virus. Pakistan has recorded fewer than 100 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, and no deaths. Officials have tested fewer than 1,000 potential cases in the country of about 215 million people, where healthcare is frequently inadequate.

A deadly 2009 attack on a convoy carrying Sri Lanka’s team halted international cricket tours to Pakistan, but visits are gradually resuming following an improvement in security.