SA v ENG 2020: South African sports ministry gives go-ahead signal to England series

England will face South Africa in three T20Is, three ODIs in a series beginning November 27.

The series had been under threat due to administrative chaos | GettyEngland's white-ball tour of South Africa has received a nod of approval from the rainbow nation's sports ministry after an administrative collapse had put the fixtures under scare. 

A report by ESPNcricinfo states, the three ODIs and three T20Is will be held for the cricket-loving people of South Africa, even as CSA remains in turmoil, with Sports Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, closer to intervening on matters after the entire CSA board resigned under pressure of scrutiny over their workings. 

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There is a strong likelihood of Mthethwa using the National Sports and Recreation Act to step in at CSA if the member's council of the board doesn't recognise the interim board which the ministry will be appointing in case of a takeover, the report further says. 

If that happens, Mthethwa will also be able to withdraw funds and strip CSA off its status as a nationally representative body. 

At least on the field, there is some relief for South Africa as England are due to leave their shores for the tour on Monday (November 16). Upon reaching, the visitors will go into a 10-day quarantine amid COVID-19 pandemic.

The series, which will be South Africa's first in seven months, will kickstart with the first of three T20Is on November 27. 

South Africa are also scheduled to host Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan over the course of the 2020-21 summer, but those fixtures could be under threat if the CSA members council doesn't comply with the sports ministry. 

South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) had earlier asked the CSA board and executives to step aside while SASCOC held an inquiry into the board's affairs. 

Amidst all this, a suspension from international cricket for South Africa is looming as the ICC bars its member countries from having any government interference in their working. 

(Inputs from ANI)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 16 Nov, 2020

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