The England cricket team has returned to the island nation of Sri Lanka after 10 months to play a two-Test series starting from January 14 in Galle. The English side had abruptly left for home in March 2020 after playing just one day of the practice match due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe Root and his side were flown to Sri Lanka by a British Airways charter flight that landed at the Rajapaksa International Airport.
Rapid antigen tests were carried out for the visitors and were safely taken to a hotel for the necessary quarantine ahead of the Test series. The players were driven to their hotel by a different path, which was off-limits to the outsiders.
The England Cricket Board has confirmed that their players had undergone tests before leaving for Sri Lanka. Stricter regulations are in place even in the island nation after a new strain of COVID-19 was found in the UK.
Sri Lanka had just 6 cases of the virus when the England team left in March 2020 and how have over 44,000 cases when the team is back to play.
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— Sri Lanka Cricket ???????? (@OfficialSLC) January 3, 2021
To safeguard the players and the series, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has barred fans from entering the stadiums to watch the matches. Even the practice matches will be conducted in empty stadiums.
An SLC official said, "During their quarantine period, the England squad will split into two teams and play a practice match. No locals will be allowed."
The first and second Tests will start on 14 and 22 January 2021 at the Galle International Stadium.,
(With inputs from AFP)
