"we can stage international cricket safely"
The ICC is reportedly confident that India’s tour of England will take place despite the recent travel ban.
India is the latest country to be added to the UK’s travel red list, as a result of its current surge in Covid-19 cases.
However, the ICC believes that the Indian team will still travel to England as planned in June 2021.
The men’s national team is also scheduled to play five Tests in England, beginning on August 4, 2021.
In a statement on Monday, April 19, 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said:
“We are currently discussing with the UK Government the impact of countries being on the ‘red list’.
“The ECB (England & Wales Cricket Board) and other members have demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and we are confident that we can continue to do that and that the World Test Championship Final will go ahead as planned in June in the UK.”
India is scheduled to play in the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand from June 18, 2021.
Despite the recent travel ban, the ICC believes this match will also go ahead as planned.
As well as this, a BCCI source told PTI that they hope India will be taken off the UK’s red list by the time the team leaves for the tour.
The source said:
“We still don’t know how the situation will pan out in June. The travel-related SOPs are always dynamic as per the Covid situation.
“When India leaves for the UK at the start of June, it might be that the country is not in red list which requires days of hard quarantine.
“But, if it is indeed, it would be done. The situation is too fluid right now.”
Pakistan, another country on the UK’s red list, are also scheduled to tour England for a one-day international and Twenty20 series starting in July 2021.
England have previously shown that international cricket can continue despite the impact of Covid-19.
Therefore, the ICC and ECB have high hopes for India’s tour of England in 2021.
A spokesperson for the ECB said:
“By working collaboratively, we demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and hope to be able to do so again this year.”
England was able to fulfil its entire home schedule in 2020. They hosted matches against the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia.
All players followed strict protocols and were placed under extended quarantine periods.
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