Like most other sports, all on-field activities in cricket have been suspended the world over due to the coronavirus pandemic. Nobody knows how long this crisis is going to last and nobody knows how rescheduled would be the fixtures once cricket returns after the pandemic. But one thing that everybody can understand is that the commercial considerations will dictate planning in a post-pandemic world where powerful boards will try to minimise losses from high-value media deals as they stand to make more money from cricket at home than from the share of ICC revenue.

There has been huge financial concerns regarding cricket's probable absence over the subsequent six months, and the Times of India even ran a report with a headline: Covid effect: ICC member boards running 'serious risk' of financial bankruptcy.

"Simply put, other than India and to an extent England, the rest of the cricket world will be on a hand-to-mouth existence if this scenario continues," India's leading newspaper reported, adding that Bangladesh cricket, in any other case a sustainable property, will sit with no broadcaster and sponsors as soon as their current deal runs out by the end of April.

"Definitely there will be a financial setback due to this [coronavirus]. However, we do not have a lot of revenue generating events in the near future and hence the BCB will be less affected compared to other boards. I think the BCB is in a bit more comfortable position in this regard," responded BCB CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury when his attention was drawn regarding the bleak scenario.

"We are lucky that our expenses are not as much and we also have a very healthy reserve. So, you can say we are in a comfortable zone compared to many other countries. Yes, we could face serious consequences if we have a revenue generating event like IPL. On the other hand, our next two home series are not big ones in terms of financial benefit as the revenue depends on the TV production rights. So, we will get time and there will be no significant immediate impact on us," he continued.

"But many things will depend on future business situation after the pandemic. We have to rely on the big business houses for different sponsorships; how their business is running is important for us," he added.

The BCB CEO also informed that chief executives of Test playing nations will attend a tele-conference next week to discuss the impact of the Covid-19 on the Future Tours Programme (FTP).

Foremost on the agenda will be the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC), with its final scheduled for June next year, but the fate of the championship is now in doubt. The two-year cycle began after the 2019 ODI World Cup, with each team scheduled to play six Test series--three at home and three away. The postponements have left the championship cycle in tatters.

The first ODI league was set to begin in May and serve as a qualifying pathway to the 2023 World Cup, but that too will be deferred. "Basically, the member countries will discuss over the future schedules and ODI league is important as there is question of World Cup qualification," said Nizamuddin.

It is a grim reality and no doubt the biggest question for many boards in post-pandemic world would be: where will these boards earn from?