Cricket South Africa, on Monday, announced that the tickets for the upcoming Test series and ODI series against India will not be available for sale. The decision was taken due to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country as the board want to avoid any breaches that could compromise the tour from a Covid-risk perspective and to also maintain a hazard-free bubble environment. It was a joint call from both CSA and the BCCI.

The South African cricket board also urged the people of the country to take get the vaccination done.

“We acknowledge the interest expressed by the fans and other stakeholders on being able to return to stadiums and want to assure all cricket fans that this decision was not taken lightly, but was instead taken in the best interest of the game and in the interest of the health and safety of all patrons. Consequently, we urge all sport lovers to exercise absolute care, during these extraordinary times. I also wish to take this time to urge all South Africans to continue spreading the positive messages of VACCINATION, VACCINATION AND VACCINATION, because this is the only way that we can truly get our country back into its high economic activity, which will assist government to open up the economy and all its forms of economic activity, including allowing greater numbers of fans back into stadiums,” the CSA said in the statement.

The cricket board is working on the other alternative for people which can ensure a limited number of fans via activation sites, while still observing the strictest safety measures and exercising duty of care. The CSA further stated that it will announce the available alternative public viewing activations as soon as the relevant approvals have been secured.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s T20 Mzansi Super League has been cancelled for the second time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the country’s cricket board said on Monday.

The Mzansi Super League was scheduled to be held in February but the board said it was forced to call it off owing to the travel restrictions imposed by many countries on South Africa after the emergence of the Omicron variant.

The 2020 edition was also cancelled due to challenges posed by the pandemic.

“The decision to cancel the 2021 edition of the MSL is meant to allow CSA and its strategic partners to revamp and review the tournament post-Covid-19 to regain its market and commercial position.

“For its purposes, the MSL slot will again be replaced by a domestic CSA T20 Challenge, featuring the 8 (eight) Division 1 teams and this tournament will take place in February 2022," CSA’s acting CEO Pholetsi Moseki said.