India vs South Africa 2020: ODIs in Lucknow, Kolkata likely to be played behind closed doors

Team India were set to take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series beginning from March 12 in Dharamsala. However, the poor weather conditions meant that the first ODI was washed out due to rain.

The second ODI will be played at Lucknow on March 15 and the final ODI will be played at Kolkata. But amidst the threat of Coronavirus in the country, these two ODIs might be played behind closed doors,i.e. in empty stadiums without any spectators.

The sports ministry had advised the BCCI that in case any sporting event cannot be postponed, it has to be played behind closed doors. This will help prevent a large gathering of people, which in turn will protect the players, staff, and spectators from the outbreak of Coronavirus.

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Union Sports Secretary Radhey Shyam Julaniya clearly spoke about the aforementioned condition in a statement, which read,

“All national federations, including the BCCI, have been told to adhere to the guidelines and advisory issued by the ministry of health and public welfare. We have also told them to avoid any public gathering and if a sporting event has to be organised, it should be done without gathering of people."

“It is the state government who has to manage the crowd and who have the power under the epidemic diseases act (Epidemic Act of 1897). If it is unavoidable and it has to be organised, then they should do it without collecting the crowd.”

The BCCI will need to abide by the guidelines issued by the advisory and thus the ODI series of India vs South Africa is likely to be one withut any spectators in the stadium.