Breaking: PSL Called Off Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Updated - 17 Mar 2020, 01:37 PM
The ongoing fifth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been called off as the coronavirus pandemic starts taking a toll on Pakistan. The cases have spiked in the last one day as Pakistan struggle to contain the outbreak. On Monday, Pakistan recorded their biggest single-day spike in coronavirus infections as 90 new coronavirus cases took the number of COVID-19 patients in the country to an alarming 184.
And with the situation deteriorating with each passing moment, the PSL has been called off. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed the news on Tuesday, just hours before the two semifinals. The Pakistan board announced that the remaining games of the tournament will be rescheduled.
HBL PSL 2020 postponed, to be rescheduled. More details to follow in due course#HBLPSLV
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 17, 2020
The PSL was being played behind closed doors as a precautionary measure. The PCB had also cut short the tournament by four days and replaced the playoffs by semifinals. However, the outbreak has now compelled them to call-off the tournament.
Both the semifinals were set to take place today while the final was scheduled for tomorrow. Multan Sultans would have locked horns against Peshawar Zalmi in the the first semifinal followed by the second semifinal between Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings.
The latest cancellation has further increased a growing list of cricket fixtures which are being postponed or called off in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Last week, India’s ODI series against South Africa was called off. England also cancelled their two-match Test series in Sri Lanka before Australia called off their ODI and T20I series against New Zealand.
Bangladesh decided the same with their last leg of Pakistan tour while the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been suspended too till April 15.
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More to follow…
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Pakistan Super League (PSL)
