IPL 2020: No foreign player available till April 15 due to visa restrictions

The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been dealt a fresh blow as the Group of Ministers, in a second meeting on Wednesday, canceled all visas to India till April 15 in the wake of the growing Coronavirus threat. Visas for all, except for diplomats from UN/international organizations, stand suspended. More than 60 people have been tested positive for the deadly virus in India so far.

This means that the IPL, which is scheduled to begin on March 29, will see no foreign players till April 15. The tournament itself seems uncertain as of now, with a few state governments even declining to host matches.

Some reports also suggest that if the IPL does go on, the games would be played in front of empty stands. The ongoing Road Safety World Series 2020 will also be played in an empty DY Patil Stadium, reports earlier today confirmed.

No foreign player available for IPL till April 15 due to visa restrictions imposed by government in wake of COVID-19 outbreak: BCCI source

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 12, 2020

Also see - Live cricket score

Also, on March 16, the plea to defer IPL 2020 will be heard in the Supreme Court.

Plea to defer IPL-2020 amid coronavirus scare: SC's vacation bench asks petitioner to mention matter before regular bench on March 16

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 12, 2020

The annual T20 extravaganza is a huge business in the country, and the cancellation of the tournament will mean financial losses to a lot of organizations and professionals.