By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took some time. But eventually, it did decide that the IPL should not be held at the moment, considering the alarming spread of the coronavirus.

In a statement released on Friday afternoon, the BCCI said that the T20 gala has been postponed till April 15 as a precautionary measure. It was scheduled to start on March 29.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend IPL 2020 till 15th April 2020, as a precautionary measure against the ongoing Novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) situation.

"The BCCI is concerned and sensitive about all its stakeholders, and public health in general, and it is taking all necessary steps to ensure that, all people related to IPL including fans have a safe cricketing experience,” read the statement signed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah.

“The BCCI will work closely with the Government of India along with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and all other relevant Central and State Government departments in this regard,” added the statement.

With sports events across the globe getting cancelled or postponed and the disease making its presence felt in India, the BCCI had been criticised for dillydallying. It had called a meeting of the IPL Governing Council in Mumbai on Saturday to discuss the matter.

However, with the central government clamping down on visas for persons travelling to India and instructing a ban on public gatherings at stadiums, the cricket board had to take the decision a day before that meeting.

Even though the BCCI was okay with the idea of having matches behind closed doors without spectators, the franchises were not willing to play without their foreign recruits, who have been barred from travelling to India until April 15.

Those who would have been able to enter India on ‘employment’ visa, would have to be quarantined for two weeks.

The BCCI seems to have taken into account these factors before announcing the decision to put the IPL on hold.

The nine cities to host matches this season are Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Guwahati.

At least in four of these places, coronavirus cases have been detected with Bengaluru recording the first death in the country caused by this.

The IPL involves the participation of foreigners in several roles. Other than players and coaches, there are commentators, technical and management staff and even media from other countries.