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ToggleECB’s decision to postpone cricketing season due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic will have a huge financial implication on the board. Certain reports in the media have emerged, stating that the ECB could suffer a loss of as much as 380 million pounds, which is certainly a staggering sum of money.
Notably, the coronavirus pandemic has brought the cricketing world to a stagnant position as multiple series and tournaments have either been postponed or been suspended by various cricketing boards amid the coronavirus outbreak. The inaugural season of The Hundred, the ECB’s new eight-team (men’s and women’s) tournament, stand postponed until 2021 in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ECB confirmed on Thursday (April 30).
The much-awaited tournament was set to be played across five weeks from July this year. Last week, the ECB had announced that no professional cricket would be played in England and Wales until July 1 at the earliest. Now, English cricket is braced for losses of up to 380 million pounds if no matches are played this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic.
ECB Could Lose Almost 380 Million Pounds Due To COVID-19
“We anticipate the cost of no cricket this year could be as bad as 380 million pounds. That is the worst-case scenario for us,” Tom Harrison, CEO of The England and Wales Cricket Board told the UK government’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee about the impact of coronavirus.
“That would be the loss of 800 days of cricket across all of our professional clubs and the ECB. It is the most significant financial challenge we have ever faced” Harrison added.
Major Cricketing Events Come To A Hold After Coronavirus Outbreak
The sporting spectrum has also faced a lot due to the outbreak of the pandemic. Major cricketing action all across the globe has come to a standstill. India has also suffered a massive loss due to the rapid spread of the virus, and the entire country has come to a grinding halt. India was in a 21-day national lockdown from March 25, and now the nation-wide lockdown has been extended until May 17.
Recently, the IPL 2020 was suspended indefinitely due to the coronavirus outbreak. To the disappointment of the cricket fans, the India-South Africa ODI series has also been called off. Apart from it, the Road Safety World Series has also been suspended.
The ECB had decided to postpone the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka due to the coronavirus pandemic. The series was to be a part of the World Test Championship (WTC).
All the English players playing in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) were called back immediately, and the tournament has been postponed.