Seven members of the England cricket team including three players and four staff members have tested positive for Covid-19, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Tuesday.
England Players tests Positive for COVID19
The other members of the contingent have been termed close contacts. Those who tested positive include three players and four management team members.
“Following RTPCR tests administered yesterday (Monday) in Bristol, The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) can confirm that seven members – three players and four management team members – of the England Men’s ODI party have tested positive for COVID-19,” the ECB said in a statement.
Ben Stokes to Lead England
England is scheduled to play Pakistan in ODIs and T20Is starting with the first ODI on July 8 in Cardiff. ECB confirmed that the Pakistan series would go ahead and Ben Stokes will return to the squad to lead the new side.
“Ben Stokes will return to the squad to captain the side and Chris Silverwood, who had been due to take some time away during the white-ball series, is back as Head Coach. In total, there are nine uncapped players in the squad,” it further added.
Former England spinner and current Managing Director of ECB Ashley Giles said that it is an opportunity for youngsters to showcase their skills at the biggest stage.
“It’s an exciting group of players, with some young talent and some players who have impressed at a domestic level over a long period of time. We’re in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and I’m very proud of how everyone has come together in order to get it done – both those within the ECB and from the county game,” Giles was quoted as saying by the ECB.
England Men’s ODI Squad
“England Men have named an 18-strong group for the Royal London Series against Pakistan. The announcement comes after the news that three members of the initial playing group and four members of the management staff had tested positive for COVID-19, and consequently, the entire squad initially selected was required to isolate,” the ECB media statement read.
Ben Stokes (Durham, captain), Jake Ball, Danny Briggs, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Lewis Gregory, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, David Payne, Phil Salt, John Simpson, James Vince.
England recently played the limited-over series against Sri Lanka. So far, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Board has not made any announcements if any of their players have been affected by the virus.
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