India Tour of South-Africa – SA vs NED Postponed: Bigger question mark has been raised on India’s tour of South Africa, as Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced deferment of the series vs Netherlands. The 3 match ODI series begin on Friday but is deferred midway due to rise of new Covid-19 virus mutuant. Now the question that is being raised is if the situation is not right to complete the ongoing series – how the country can be safe for the Indian team which is due to travel to South Africa on 9th December – Follow LIVE Updates
“See BCCI is constantly in touch with CSA. But if they have decided to cancel the ongoing series obviously now we are more concerned. Let’s see how situation pans out in next 3-4 days, final call will be taken accordingly”, said top BCCI official to InsideSport.
CSA Acting CEO, Mr Pholetsi Moseki said:
“We are disappointed by the unfortunate situation we find ourselves in, but the comfort of all visiting teams must always be paramount. The mental well-being of players is one of CSA’s top priorities, and we respect our visitors’ position and point of view.
“CSA and KNCB will get into discussions around possibly rescheduling the tour within this cycle of the ICC Future Tours Programme ending in 2023.”
India Tour of South Africa: CSA CEO says ’series can be…
India Tour of South Africa: Indian team visit gets more doubtful as Cricket South Africa cancels series vs Netherlands: Follow LIVE Updates
SA vs NED Postponed – Will India travel to South Africa? The decision to postponed the series vs Netherlands was taken as a result of mounting anxiety and concern on the side of the visiting team around travel bans and restrictions on flights from South Africa being imposed by several countries around the world including the United Kingdom (UK), European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA).
Sports Minister says ‘BCCI should consult government before taking any decision’: Decision for India now to tour South Africa will not be that easy, earlier in morning Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports said that the BCCI should consult the government before sending the cricket team to South Africa where a new COVID-19 variant has emerged.
The World Health Organisation on Friday alarmed the siren among countries after a new variant of COVID-19 was classified in South Africa, the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) said in a statement. “Not only BCCI, but every board should also consult the Indian government before sending the team to a country where a new COVID-19 variant has emerged. It is not right to send the team to a country where there is a threat, if BCCI consults us we will deliberate on that,” Thakur told ANI in Baghpat.
India Tour of South Africa: Sports minister warns BCCI of SA…
India Tour of South-Africa: Cricket South Africa confident tour will go ahead:
“The tour for now is still on, even BCCI has assured that to us. There’s no reason for it not to go on unless we’re blindsided by something we’re not expecting”, declared CSA acting chief executive officer Pholetsi Moseki
Not only series can be played without spectators but also possibilities are being explored to conduct the matches only at ‘safer-venues, limited travel & very very strict bio-bubble measures’
- It is learnt that Bloemfontein, Paarl and Port Elizabeth could be the alternate Test venues in CSA’s new plan to move the matches to “safer venues”
- The series consisting of three Tests, three ODIs and 4 T20Is will be played between Johannesburg, Centurion, Cape Town and Paarl from December 17 to January 26.
- CSA has assured BCCI that team will only take one internal flight in South Africa, from Johannesburg to Cape Town, thus reducing any or all other domestic travel.
- First two test matches will be played at Jo’Burg & Centurion – both cities are just 1 hour drive from each other.
- Teams will then take CHARTERED FLIGHT to Cape Town.
- 3rd Test will be played at Cape Town & all white-ball matches either at Cape Town or Paarl.
