The England cricket side have been hit by seven cases of coronavirus but the series against Pakistan will go ahead, with the hosts being led by Ben Stokes.
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The England cricket team has been hit by a fresh wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Seven members of the team have tested positive for COVID-19. Following the end of the Sri Lanka, the England squad was tested in Bristol. In the RT-PCR Test that was undertaken, seven members tested positive. Three England players and four support staff members have tested positive while the remaining members of the squad have all been deemed close contacts and will isolate.
The United Kingdom is facing a new wave in the delta plus variant of the coronavirus. There have been close to 25,000 cases in the last 24 hours. Fans have been allowed at sporting venues. Some are expecting a full capacity for events like the Euro knock-out stages and F1 race in Silverstone. However, the latest surge in the coronavirus might force a rethink.
The England and Wales Cricket Board have confirmed there is no threat to the Pakistan series that will begin in a couple of days. In an official statement released by the ECB, it stated that Ben Stokes will lead the side but with many changes.
“We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions. Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to captain,” the statement read.
Ben Stokes missed the series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka as he was recovering from a broken finger that he sustained in IPL 2021. Pakistan will play three ODIs and three Twenty20 Internationals from July 08 to July 20.
The tour will kick off with three ODIs in Cardiff, Lord’s, and Edgbaston. It is expected that the matches in Lord’s and Edgbaston will feature capacity crowds. The three Twenty20 Internationals will take place in Trent Bridge, Leeds and Manchester from July 16 to July 20.
England is all set to reopen stadiums to fans amidst the surge in the delta-plus variant of the coronavirus. Euro 2020 is in the knockout stages with the semifinals and the final being held in Wembley. Italy vs Spain and England vs Denmark is expected to see massive amounts of fans enter the Wembley stadium. In addition, the coronavirus might cast a pall on the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, which has a capacity of 150,000.
After the end of the series between England and Pakistan, they will host India for five Tests. The matches might be played to capacity even in those venues. The Indian cricket team is currently on a three-week break after their loss in the ICC World Test Championship final. Having lost to New Zealand, the Indian cricket team is on holiday in the UK. They will reconvene on July 14 in Durham for an intra-squad warm-up game.
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