India to Wait for ‘More Clarification on Travel Restrictions’ Before Taking Call on July’s Sri Lanka Tour

The BCCI will wait for more clarification from the government on international travel restrictions before making a call on the upcoming Sri Lanka tour. India were scheduled to play Sri Lanka in a three-match each ODI and T20I series in June but the series have come under threat due to the coronavirus pandemic as well as the measures implemented to curb the spread of the virus. BCCI’s decision to wait for more clarification on international travel restrictions came a day after the Sri Lanka cricket board were reported to have announced that they were ready to host both India and Bangladesh in subsequent series on home soil this July. Sri Lanka Cricket Board Makes Plan to Host India, Bangladesh in Subsequent Series This Summer: Report.

“Nothing has been decided as yet because we are not sure what would be the travel restrictions then,” BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal told Reuters when asked for the Indian cricket board’s stand on the upcoming tour. “There is no clarity about it. So we’ll wait for that and accordingly take a call.” IPL 2020 in Sri Lanka? SLC to Write to BCCI, Shammi Silva Says Ready to Provide All Facilities.

Earlier, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) via an ESPNcricinfo report were said to be ready to host India in a limited-overs series and were also said to have been waiting for a response from the BCCI before coordinating with their governments to make the necessary arrangements. But with India extending the lockdown until May 31, the series taking place looks very bleak.

The situation in Sri Lanka are, however, said to be getting better with the country gradually easing the stringent lockdown measures. The number of coronavirus cases in the island nation has not exceeded 500 in the past two weeks giving the SLC enough hope that they can host not only India but also Bangladesh in back-to-back home series.

The board is, however, yet to hear from the Bangladesh cricket board (BCB). Bangladesh were scheduled to play a three-Test series in Sri Lanka this July-August. But BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury told ESPNcricinfo “We have to look at travelling restrictions in Bangladesh, and the quarantine protocols in both countries. We have to be mindful of the players’ readiness … we have to figure out other details about this tour.”

Sri Lanka have already had to postpone two home series against England and South Africa respectively. England were supposed to play a two-Test series, which was part of the ICC World Test Championship, while South Africa were to visit for a limited-overs tour.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 19, 2020 09:22 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).