England were scheduled to visit India in September to play three One Day Internationals (ODI) and as many Twenty-20 Internationals (T20I).
England men's cricket team. (Photo by Marty MELVILLE / AFP)
England are set to postpone this year’s limited-overs tour to India due to the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Three Lions were scheduled to visit India in September to play three One Day Internationals (ODI) and as many Twenty-20 Internationals (T20I).
“England were supposed to play six games (three ODIs and three T20 Internationals) during late September. Obviously in the current circumstances England won’t be travelling to India,” PTI quoted a senior BCCI official on conditions of anonymity.
“But I guess a formal announcement will happen once the FTP issue is discussed as it’s part of the agenda during Friday’s Apex Council meeting. New Zealand A had a tour of India scheduled in August and even that’s also unlikely to go ahead,” the official said.
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Unlike in England and various other European countries, the COVID-19 curve in India, instead of flattening during the rigorous and phased lockdown of more than three months, has only witnessed a sharp spike. The country is seeing new records every day in terms of daily coronavirus cases.
With more than nine lakh positive cases and a death toll of above 25,000 mark, India has the third-highest COVID-19 caseload in the world.
Thus, cricket, or for that matter any kind of sporting event, looks impossible in a foreseeable future.
“Our (BCCI) president (Sourav Ganguly), in a recent interview, said that they are planning for a camp in August if the situation permits. It’s common sense that under these circumstances, no matches can be held,” the official added.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are in talks to figure out if the limited-overs assignments can be tagged along with England’s five-Test series in India early next year.
“Our (BCCI) president (Sourav Ganguly), in a recent interview, said that they are planning for a camp in August if the situation permits. It’s common sense that under these circumstances, no matches can be held,” the official added.
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