BCCI suspends all remaining domestic games due to COVID-19 pandemic

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A day after the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was postponed till April 15, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday suspended all the remaining domestic games of the season including Irani Cup in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

The country's cricket board released an official statement confirming that all the domestic matches have been put on hold till further notice.

"In view of the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) outbreak, the BCCI on Saturday announced that all matches of the Paytm Irani Cup, Senior Women One-Day Knockout, Vizzy Trophy, Senior Women One-Day Challenger, Women Under 19 One-Day knockout, Women’s Under 19 T20 League, Super League and knockout, Women Under 19 T20  Challenger Trophy, Women Under 23 knockout, Women’s Under 23 One-Day Challenger have been put on hold till further notice," the BCCI said in a press release. 

On Friday, the remaining two One-Day Internationals (ODI) of the three-match series between India and South Africa was called off amid the coronavirus outbreak across the world. While the second ODI was due to take place on March 15 in Lucknow, the third ODI between the two sides was scheduled for March 18 at Eden Gardens. 

Besides this, the BCCI had also announced the suspension of the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) till April 15, 2020, due to the threat of novel coronavirus COVID-19. 

The virus outbreak, which was first reported in December 2019 from Wuhan city of China, has so far affected over 100 countries and claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people and has affected more than 1,32,000 persons globally. India has reported two deaths and more than 80 confirmed cases of the deadly coronavirus.