Ireland-Bangladesh series postponed

LONDON (Agencies): Ireland’s seven-match series against Bangladesh became on Saturday the latest casualty to be inflicted on the cricket calendar by the coronavirus pandemic.

The three one-day internationals in Belfast and four Twenty20 matches in England, scheduled to take place in May, have been postponed in line with British and Irish government advice against the staging of sporting events with mass gatherings and travel restrictions.

“We have a responsibility to protect the wellbeing of players, coaches, fans and the wider community, and will not hesitate to take a safety-first approach to our operations over coming months,” said Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland.

“We would like to thank the Bangladesh Cricket Board for their helpful cooperation in reaching this decision, and we shall work with them at establishing new dates for the series when we are all in a position to plan for the future with greater certainty.”

The United Kingdom is entering a second weekend of sporting shutdown that is expected to last for at least a couple of months. No professional cricket will be played in England and Wales before May 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pubs, restaurants and gyms across the UK were closed on Friday, while schools will remain open only for the children of key workers to try and halt the spread of the virus.