The novel COVID-19 or coronavirus has forced to postpone many cricket matches in recent times. While the pandemic is still dominating the world, the fate of Sri Lanka’s upcoming home international series against India and Bangladesh will be decided in this weekend.
According to the FTP schedule, India will tour in Sri Lanka in this June for the three-match ODI series and three-match T20I series. The ODI series will be part of the 2020–22 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League where India will start their journey in this league with this away series.
On the other hand, Bangladesh have also the plan to tour in Sri Lanka in this July for the three-match Test series. The Test series will be the part of the 2019-21 ICC World Test Championship.
The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has recently confirmed that both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) have requested the time till 15th May to assess the situation before taking their final call of this tour. The SLC has also claimed that they will finalise the fate of these upcoming home series at the end of this week.
SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva said according to PTI, “The two cricket boards (BCCI and BCB) wanted time till May 15 to assess the situation and we have given them that. We will arrive at a collective decision at the end of this week.”
England and South Africa have postponed their last Sri Lanka tour
South Africa had the plan to tour in Sri Lanka in early June for the three-match ODI (part of the 2020–22 ICC Cricket World Cup Super League) and three-match T20I series. But the coronavirus pandemic has forced to postpone those series.
Earlier, in last March, England landed Sri Lanka for the two-match Test series which was the part of the 2019-21 ICC World Test Championship. The visitors played one complete tour match (three-day), and they were playing their last tour match (four-day) before the beginning of the Test series when they decided to return to their home amid coronavirus outbreak.