The Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket tournament due to be held in Sri Lanka in June has been called off because of the worsening coronavirus crisis in the region, a top organiser said Wednesday.
The tournament was already held over from last year in Pakistan due to the pandemic.
“Due to the prevailing situation, it will not be possible to play the tournament in June this year,” Sri Lanka Cricket chief executive Ashley de Silva told reporters.
He said the event may have to be put back until after the 2023 50-over World Cup because most teams had already planned schedules for the next two years.
De Silva said the Asian Cricket Council would soon make a formal announcement.
Coronavirus infections have spread rapidly across South Asia in recent weeks with many nations banning flights from the region.
Sri Lanka on Wednesday announced a 10-day ban on airline passengers coming into the country.
However, Sri Lanka’s national team is currently in Bangladesh to play three one-day internationals.
The tournament was supposed to be hosted by Pakistan earlier but since India were unlikely to travel there due to political tension between the two nations, it was shifted to Sri Lanka.
The Asian Cricket Council headed by BCCI secretary Jay Shah is yet to make a formal announcement.
Due to multiplying cases of Covid-19, Sri Lankan government has put a 10-day ban on international air travel.
(With PTI inputs)