The Australian Women’s team’s tour to South Africa has been cancelled as part of preventative measures against the coronavirus which has impacted global sport.
This is the first time measures against the virus have directly impacted sport in South Africa. The current T20 World Champions were due to face their South African counterparts in three One-Day Internationals followed by three T20 Internationals.
"Cricket Australia will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation at home and overseas before making a decision on Australian women’s international matches beyond the tour of South Africa," Cricket Australia said in a statement on Friday morning.
The spread of the virus has impacted major sports events around the world, with the National Basketball Association suspending it’s league, the Australian Grand Prix, set to take place in Melbourne this Sunday being postponed and various football leagues in Europe being suspended, including matches in the lucrative Champions League.
Friday's first ODI between Australia and New Zealand took place in front of an empty Sydney Cricket Ground as part of precautionary measures.
On Thursday the Board of Control for Cricket in India said the two remaining matches in the ODI series between India and South Africa would be played behind closed doors with no spectators allowed into the grounds in Lucknow and Kolkata.