ICC assures WTC final to go as per plan amid rising COVID cases in India

Rising number of COVID-19 cases have forced Britain to put on the red list, banning all the travel from India and making a 10-day quarantine compulsory for British citizens returning from India.

However, the development is not going to impact the World Test Championship final slated to be held in Southampton from June 18.

The International Cricket Council on Monday said the World Test Championship final, between India and New Zealand, will go ahead as planned.

The ICC expressed confidence in conducting the final of the inaugural event in a bio-secure environment.

"The ECB and other members have demonstrated how we can stage international cricket safely in the middle of a pandemic and we are confident that we can continue to do that and that the WTC Final will go ahead as planned in June in the UK," said the ICC in a statement.

"We are currently discussing with the UK Government the impact of countries being on the ‘red list’," it added.

Apart from the WTC final, England are also scheduled to host the Indian women’s team in June and the men’s team will play a five-Test series in England starting August 4.