The upcoming limited-overs series between Sri Lanka and India is likely to be rescheduled after a couple of support staff members from the home team tested positive for coronavirus on July 8 and 9.
SL vs IND 2021 T20 Postponed
Instead of July 13, the ODI series is now likely to commence on July 17, while the final T20I is on July 27 after the rescheduling. The push-back has come in the wake of two Sri Lanka team support staff contracting the virus.
“New dates are 17th-27th; maybe even further delayed,” a Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) spokesperson told The IE, adding: “After the second positive case, the idea is to ascertain that nobody else is affected, and hence the decision has been taken to wait for a few days.”
On Friday, Sri Lanka’s data analyst GT Niroshan tested positive and was moved to intermediate care units alongside Flower.
It is learnt that the second case in two days prompted SLC to push back the India series by four days in consultation with BCCI and the broadcasters.
As for the Sri Lankan squad, they will remain in isolation for two more days and will enter the bio-bubble subsequent to fresh RT-PCR tests.
The Data Analyst of the Sri Lanka National Team, G. T. Niroshan, has tested positive for Covid 19.
He was found to be positive, following a PCR Test carried out among the National Players, Coaches, and Support Staff yesterday.#SLC #lka https://t.co/vIiApxLt7f— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 9, 2021
India, led by Shikhar Dhawan, are scheduled to play three ODIs followed by as many T20Is and the first match was originally scheduled on Tuesday.
However, Sri Lanka’s batting coach Grant Flower tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, three days after the squad returned from England.
The members of the Sri Lanka cricket team are under quarantine and will not be able to practice before the start of the international fixtures.
“We can’t help the situation. These are the kind of times we are living in, team will have to follow all health protocols as directed by the authorities.
Yes, it is correct the players who will be selected from the squad who were in England are unlikely to get net session before 1st game against India. The good part is none of them have tested positive in the 1st test”, Pramodya Wickramasinghe, Sri Lanka’s selector said.
