BCCI to hold annual Irani Cup match behind closed doors after Coronavirus pandemic: Report

On March 14, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shifted the launch date of the upcoming Indian Premier League season (IPL 2020) to April 15 instead of March 29. The decision came in wake of the massive threat caused by the highly-contagious Coronavirus disease. Due to the Coronavirus scare, the final day of the 2019-20 Ranji Trophy Final was played behind closed doors in the Saurashtra Cricket Stadium on March 13.

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BCCI to hold Irani Cup match behind closed doors

Considering the widespread impact of Coronavirus on sporting events, it is reported that the upcoming Irani Cup match will also be held in an empty stadium. A senior BCCI official confirmed the report by stating the same to a leading news daily. Irani Cup is an annual tournament which features a one-off match between the Ranji Trophy final winners and a Rest of India line-up. Originally scheduled to be held in Saurashtra Cricket Stadium between March 18 and 22, the match is likely to follow the ‘empty stadium’ routine.

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Irani Cup 2020: Saurashtra vs Rest of India

After a gruelling three months of the tournament, Saurashtra emerged as Ranji Trophy final winners on March 13 to set up a Saurashtra vs Rest of India Irani Cup clash. The upcoming Irani Cup match will be the 58th edition of the tournament.

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Coronavirus’ impact on cricket

Apart from Indian domestic cricket tournaments, Coronavirus has also impacted several international bilateral tours. The Ind vs SA and Aus vs NZ ODI series were called off after their respective first matches. Additionally, the upcoming SL vs Eng Test series has been postponed until further notice.

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