Australia were set to play three ODIs and three T20s in South Africa between March 22 and April 4 © Getty

Australia's women's tour of South Africa has been called off due to Coronavirus concerns, Cricbuzz has learnt. The Aussies were to have played three ODIs and three T20s in the country between March 22 and April 4. South Africa's men's team will also be affected by the global pandemic, with the last two ODIs of their tour to India scheduled to be played in front of empty stands.

The virus has had a chilling effect on sport worldwide, with many events cancelled, postponed or given a tentative go ahead to proceed behind closed doors. Even the IPL, cricket's showpiece event outside the international arena, is in danger of being adversely affected. A decision on the tournament, which is due to played from March 29 to May 24, could be made on Saturday.

Nine South Africans are to play in this year's edition. Three of them - David Miller, Quinton de Kock and Kagiso Rabada - are with the South Africa squad in India. Were they rethinking their participation? "They haven't expressed any sentiments of that nature to us yet," the team's media manager told Cricbuzz on Thursday.

But it seems the decision will not be the players' to make on their own. "For the players it's not a big issue at all," Jacques Faul, Cricket South Africa's acting chief executive, told Cricbuzz. "If they get it they will recover. It's the people in the stands who are the concern. It's more about public safety, but we are monitoring the situation on a 12-hour basis. Our medical committee is dealing with it, and if we get an expert opinion we will take drastic action."

The other South Africans in this year's IPL are Chris Morris, Dale Steyn, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir and Hardus Viljoen. Asked what de Villiers' plans were, his agent, Edward Griffiths, told Cricbuzz: "I believe the BCCI are meeting in India on Saturday, and AB - as with all other players - will be guided by the tournament organisers."