Mumbai: England’s short tour to India, for a limited-overs series during September-October, has been postponed. Instead, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are discussing the possibility of a full tour, covering all three formats, in early 2021.
The BCCI took the postponement decision in consultation with ECB as the coronavirus pandemic is showing no signs of slowing down in India.
While the ECB cited COVID as the reason, the BCCI couldn’t have hosted England from late September as the rescheduled IPL will be held from September 19 to November 10 in the United Arabs Emirates.
“With the announcement that ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, due to take place across Australia in October and November 2020, has been postponed and the present COVID-19 situation in India, the BCCI and ECB have confirmed that England men’s white-ball tour to India, originally scheduled in the ICC Future Tours Programme for late September to early October 2020, will be postponed until early 2021,” the BCCI release said.
Both Boards are now trying to work out details of England’s visit to India from late January to late March next year. The two teams will clash again within months, as India are scheduled to tour England in the summer of 2021.
England are currently hosting a three-Test series against Pakistan.