Reportedly the last international cricket match was played on march 13 when australia and new zealand revived their Trans-Tasman rivalry in front of empty stands at the Sydney cricket Ground. It's been close to 3 months since any international cricket took place as the Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive impact on the global sporting calendar.
Several high-profile series, including India's ODI series against south africa, have been suspended, cancelled or postponed. The indian Premier League (IPL), one of the sports most lucrative tournaments, has missed the April-May window due to the outbreak of the pandemic. The inaugural edition of The Hundred will be held next year.
Star cricketers from across the globe have been trying to keep themselves busy in lockdowns by engaging in household chores and social media interactions with fellow cricketers and experts. Some have become TikTok celebrities. england vs west indies Tests likely to mark the restart. Even as the Covid-19 crisis rages on, steps are being taken for the return of cricket. The sport is not going to be the same once it restarts, given the ban on saliva and wild celebrations. Players are likely to spend a certain period of time in isolation before and after the series. More importantly, it's going to be played in front of empty stands, at least in the near future. No fans!
Among the major positive developments is the england cricket Board announcing their schedule of a 3-Test series against west indies from July 8, subject to approval from the UK government. The west indies tour of england in July, if goes ahead as scheduled, will mark the resumption of international cricket. england and west indies players have returned to training, marking the first steps in cricket's return to normalcy. sri lanka have taken the first step towards returning to action as they are having outdoor training sessions amid strict safety protocols at the CCC Ground in Colombo. Notably, the sri lanka cricket had written to the Board of Control for cricket in india (BCCI) offering to host india in a 3-match ODI and 3-match T20I series in July end. The indian cricket board is yet to officially respond to the offer from their neighbours.
