The England and Wales Cricket Broad (ECB) and the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed on Friday, August 7 that England’s tour of India has been postponed until early 2021 in the wake of COVID-19 situation in India.
England’s white ball tour of India comprising 3 ODIs and a similar number of T20Is, which would have served as preparation for T20 World Cup, was originally scheduled in the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP) for late September to early October 2020.
With ICC World T20 postponed to 2021, the COVID-19 cases in India still on an upward path and the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 now rescheduled during September and November, the tour has been postponed by a few months until early next year.
The ECB chief executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said, “Now that we have clarity regarding the postponement of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, it enables us to work with other Boards to progress the vital task of optimizing the international schedules in the challenging circumstances that we have all been having to address with the COVID-19 pandemic.
“International cricket between India and England is a highlight of the cricketing calendar and we look forward to working with the BCCI to firm-up the schedules for these eagerly anticipated tours as soon as possible.”
It is now expected that the ODIs and T20Is could to be played during the England’s Test tour of India scheduled from late January to late March 2021.
BCCI Honorary Secretary, Jay Shah, said, “The BCCI and ECB are working closely to finalise the schedule as we move towards the resumption of cricket. The India-England series is one of the most anticipated contests in world cricket. The two teams compete hard on the field and provide some riveting moments.
“I am pleased with the way BCCI and ECB have managed the situation. The rescheduled tour is also being redesigned in a way to accommodate both red and white-ball format and will now be a comprehensive one.”
India is slated to tour England for a five match Test series in the summer of 2021.
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