The Hundred ticket sale delayed due to COVID-19

The tickets for the debut season of 100 ball cricket tournament 'The Hundred' will not go on general sale as planned on April 8.

Priority tickets for the showpiece event went on sale in a window in February, with the England Cricket Board (ECB) reporting that initial sales had 'surpassed expectations' as the tickets for men's Finals Day were sold out within 24 hours.

But with the coronavirus crisis delaying the start of the English season by at least a month and the ability to stage the inaugural season of the Hundred in the planned window in doubt, the apex body has decided to delay the next two ticket windows.

"In the midst of an epidemic which is affecting the nation in unprecedented ways, it would be wholly inappropriate for us to promote and sell tickets to the Hundred, ESPNcricinfo quoted Sanjay Patel, the competition's managing director as saying.

"We appreciate this may cause some disappointment to fans that were keen to purchase tickets in the April sales window, accessing early bird prices and securing tickets to the most in-demand games," he added.

Due to the COVID-19 fears, the ECB on March 20 announced that no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales until at least 28 May.

The United Kingdom has reported 22,444 cases and 1,411 deaths due to the coronavirus as per the data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.