Bipin Dani
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) board is “likely” to send its team to West Indies, it is learnt here. According to the highly placed sources in both boards, the team may travel “little later” than the original scheduled departure, which was in the third week of this month.
“All players, who are self quarantined have been asked to undergo PCR tests at their closest place on Wednesday (their results will be known on Thursday) and subject to all clearance will soon decide about the training schedules”, the highly placed source, speaking exclusively over the telephone from Colombo, said.
Earlier this month Sri Lanka’s tour of the West Indies was postponed after Mickey Arthur, Lahiru Thirimanne tested positive for coronavirus. “Both are recovering well but Lahiru may not be able to go because we don’t advise him to start training before two weeks. Will have no issue sending Mickey Arhur as coach”, the source further added.
At present, both boards are not discussing to abolish the Tests and play only the limited over matches.
“The Tests are part of the WTC (World Test Championship) and we expect to play them”, Johnny Grave, the CEO of the CWI (Cricket West Indies) board, said from Antigua.
“We had a good meeting with SLC this morning. We are meeting with them again on Thursday once their latest round of PCR test results will be known”.
“Sri Lanka have an obligation and contractual commitment under the ICC FTP to tour the Caribbean in March 2021 for 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Tests so I still expect them to tour and we will know more about the timings once they have their players’ PCR test results back on Thursday”, Grave concluded.
