World XI and Asia XI T20s along with concert postponed

The two T20 matches between Asia XI and World XI and also the concert -- both to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been deferred due to the coronavirus crisis, BCB president Nazmul Hassan informed today. The concert was scheduled to take place on March 18, and was to be followed by the T20s on March 21 and 22.

The recent upsurge in coronavirus crisis had already led to the BCB taking measures to keep the crowd to a minimum during the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe. There have already been three reported cases of coronavirus in Bangladesh and BCB had previously informed that it was following government directives in order to keep mitigate the threat of the virus spreading. 

BCB president reiterated that they were still planning to organise the events in a large scale. "We had two options. We could have organised the concert on March 18 in a small scale. But we have decided to do it properly in a large scale and that's it has been deferred. When things improve, we will schedule it again in a big way. 

"There are also issues with the matches on March 21 and 22. That everyone can come and play here is not a certainty. Also nothing is certain on whether they will be able to go back. There are numerous restrictions from different places. This is why it has been decided that both events be deferred. In a few months, we will be able to arrange them again according to situation," BCB president said.