The International Cricket Council (ICC) is confident that despite the UK’s red listing India, the World Test Championship Final in Southampton remains untouched. In view of the rapid spread of the new Covid variant in India, the move, announced on Monday (April 19), effectively bans all arrivals from India to the UK.
The ICC Managers took action and got into contact with the UK government officials about the potential impact of the WTC final decision in the veteran between India and New Zealand from June 18th to 22nd, immediately after the UK Minister of Health Matt Hancock announced this.
In the meantime Cricbuzz understands that the Indian team members may be required to take a quarantine before flying to London and discussions in this respect within the Indian Cricket Control Board (BCCI). It is not clear whether players in their respective IPL bubbles must be isolated again. It is remarkable that the Indian team in Australia had 14 days in the IPL for quarantine in a bio-certain environment although it spent two months before IPL 13 in the UAE.
“The impact of countries being on the ‘red list’ is being discussed with the UK Government at the moment. The European Central Bank and other Members have demonstrated that in the middle of a pandemic we are able to conduct international cricket safely and we are confident of our future and that the World Test Championships Final will take place in the UK as scheduled in June, “Cricbuzz said an ICC spokesman.
While it’s about two months to start the match, the Indian team is scheduled to leave for Great Britain on 30 May after the IPL final.
In addition, Cricbuzz learns that after the WTC, the Indian team will probably stay in the UK preparing for the 5-Test series against England, which is scheduled to begin in six weeks. Back home to India might mean a further set of players’ quarantines.
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