London: The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that the Pakistan men’s cricket team will arrive in the UK on Sunday to start preparation for this summers tour of England, which includes three Test matches and as many T20Is.
This announcement from the ECB comes even though as many as ten Pakistan players tested positive for COVID-19.
However, there is still no clarity on the dates for the series which the ECB are planning to announce the behind-closed-doors schedule in “due course”.
The 10 Pakistan players, including Mohammad Hafeez, who have tested positive for the coronavirus have been placed under home-quarantine and will not be part of the squad departing to the UK.
The players who tested negative in the first round underwent a second round of testing on June 25 in Lahore, the results of which are awaited.
“They (Pakistan team) will start a 14-day isolation period at Blackfinch New Road, Worcester before transferring to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground on July 13 to accelerate their preparation ahead of the first Test, which will include two four-day internal warm-up matches,” stated the ECB.
“All members of the tour party will have been tested prior to travel. Those who are testing positive for COVID-19 will not be permitted to travel with the advance group on Sunday,” it added.
England are currently slated to face West Indies in the three-match Test series starting July 8 at the Ageas Bowl.
