PCB decides to call off PSL 2020 amid Coronavirus outbreak

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to call off the ongoing fifth season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) amid Coronavirus outbreak. The count of the positive cases in Pakistan jumped to 184 on Tuesday and in the wake of the rapid increase in the numbers, the board has finally decided to not continue with the tournament further. The two semi-finals were scheduled to be played on Tuesday while the final was due to take place on Wednesday (March 18).

The PCB had already condensed the PSL season a few days ago doing away with the playoffs concept. According to the earlier schedule, the T20 extravaganza was to be concluded on March 22. However, the PCB decided to decrease the number of matches even as a lot of foreign players started to leave the country amid Coronavirus fears.

ESPNCricinfo reported the news of the PSL 2020 season being called off on Tuesday stating that one of the franchises confirmed the same to them. Multan Sultans and Peshawar Zalmi were due to face each other in the first semi-final while the first-timers, Lahore Qalandars and Karachi Kings were aiming their maiden title in the other.

No cricketing action in progress

The fans will be deprived of any cricketing action now for at least the next month. The IPL has been suspended until April 15 for now and the chances look grim of the 13th edition taking place this year. Earlier, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly had confirmed that the safety of the people is of utmost priority and they will be assessing the situation every week before taking the final call.

“We will reassess the situation every week. We will (coordinate) with the (authorities) and work around. “We can’t say that at the moment. As much as we want the IPL to happen, we are also careful about the security of the people. It’s too premature. Allow us a week and then we will figure out things go around in the world and decide,’ Ganguly had earlier said. Literally, every bilateral series and the T20 tournament, including the domestic competitions, have been called off now.