India vs South Africa ODI series called off due to coronavirus

TIL Desk Sports/ The two remaining India-South Africa ODIs in Lucknow and Kolkata were on Friday called off owing to the coronavirus pandemic after the visiting players “expressed unwillingness” to continue in view of the rising positive cases in the host country.

This is only the second time in three decades that an international cricket series in India has been called off midway, the last being in 2014 by the West Indies team over a pay dispute with its Board. The game in Lucknow was scheduled to be held on Sunday, while the Kolkata ODI was meant to be on March 18.

“With the IPL being postponed, it only made sense that at this point of time, this series is also called off. The country is facing a serious pandemic,” a top BCCI official said. “The South African team was unwilling to take any further part in the series due to rising number of positive cases in India.

The players seemed to be in panic mode and wanted to go back home at the earliest,” another Board official revealed on conditions on anonymity. The BCCI later issued a statement to say that the series will be rescheduled at a later date. “Cricket South Africa will visit India at a later date to play three One-day Internationals. The BCCI-CSA will jointly work out the revised schedule,” Board Secretary Jay Shah said.