Final Test to be rescheduled

Day of drama as match is cancelled due to Covid-19 scare in Indian camp

The fifth and final Test between England and India, scheduled to begin at the Old Trafford in Manchester yesterday, has been cancelled after due to Covid-19 fears. With the decision to cancel the Test being a ‘‘joint one’’ and India leading the series 2-1 after four Tests, the fate of the fifth Test looks uncertain though the BCCI said they would work with ECB to reschedule the match later.

“The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) along with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have jointly decided to call off the fifth Test match scheduled at Manchester in ongoing India’s tour of England 2021,” the BCCI clarified in a statement.

“The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test Match, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the Old Trafford Test match. … Both the boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match,” the Indian board said, putting into rest the earlier talk that they have ‘forfeited’ the match.

Had the boards not agreed to the postponement, it could have been left to ICC match referee Chris Broad to decide on whether the ECB accepted India’s fears of a larger outbreak in their camp as “acceptable non-compliance” as per the World Test Championship (WTC) regulations. A cancellation would have given India a 2-1 series victory and a forfeiture led to a 2-2 draw.