The scheduled Sri Lanka tour of South Africa could be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ThePapare.com learns.
The national test squad is scheduled to leave the island for South Africa on the 17th of December, a day after the LPL final for the 2-match Test series. Sri Lanka will have one three-day practice match from 20th to 22nd December in Benoni. The Test series which will be part of the ICC World Test Championship will run from 26th December 2020 to 7th of January 2021.
Read – Sri Lanka to take 22 players to South Africa
However, with the touring England squad in South Africa are returning home mid-tour as few players from both sides have tested positive for COVID-19, SLC is now in doubt whether to send Sri Lankan players to the rainbow nation.
Sri Lanka’s team physician Dr. Daminda Attanayake said to ESPN Cricinfo, “I have to bring the [Sri Lankan] players back from South Africa without a single positive case, we’ve requested [South Africa’s] protocols be identical to the bio-bubble protocols we have been using for the LPL (Lanka Premier League). We’ve been successful with those. Players have tested positive but they’ve been isolated. We’re requesting these protocols be followed not just by our team, but theirs as well.”
Read More – Schedule for England tour of Sri Lanka announced
Understandably, SLC’s priority is the upcoming England tour which is set to commence on 14th January and they are not willing to take any risk that will impact that home tour. SLC has not held any inbound international tours since 2020 March and the upcoming England Test series is crucial for the board financially as well as setting a good tone for the future international series in the island.
However, Cricket South Africa is positive about the future of the Test series as CSA officials have assured SLC that sufficient measures were put in place for the Boxing Day and New Year’s Test matches, at SuperSport Park and the Wanderers.
Watch – Sri Lanka tour of South Africa – Test Squad
CSA’s acting CEO Kugandrie Govender said to ESPN Cricinfo: “I’ve spoken to the SLC CEO today as planned. We are obviously providing them with information to give all their stakeholders, including their health authorities, the reassurances they need”
South Africa Test tour is supposed to be Sri Lanka’s first international cricket tournament since the COVID-19 pandemic halted cricket throughout the world. Sri Lanka was scheduled to play a 3-match Test series against Bangladesh but conflicts between two boards regarding the quarantine protocols resulted in another Test series postponement.
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