The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies has been postponed on Thursday, December 16 after five more members of the touring side tested positive for COVID-19.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) issued a joint statement on Thursday that the ODI series has been rescheduled to June 2022 following the COVID-19 outbreak inside the West Indies camp.
However, the third and final T20I of the series was played as scheduled in Karachi on Thursday, with the hosts winning the game by 7 wickets and the T20I series 3-0 as well.
The joint statement reads: “The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have issued a joint statement after five more positive cases were reported in the West Indies camp following Wednesday's PCR testing, raising the total number of positive cases to nine since their arrival in Karachi on December 9.”
After the end of the final T20I in Karachi, the PCB chief Ramiz Raja on Twitter expressed his disappointment over rescheduling the ODI series due to COVID-19, while hailing Pakistan for their record chase of 209 runs on Thursday. The hosts won the T20I series 3-0 against the West Indies.
Raja wrote on Twitter: “Very impressive record chase tonight. Self-belief & calmness was at the heart of that feat! Great year for Rizwan & he doesn't have a bad partner in Babar too. Pity about the rescheduling of the ODI series but we will have a full-fledged fit WI team for that June encounter.”
Notably, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Justin Greaves, assistant coach Roddy Estwick, and team physician Akshai Mansingh of the West Indies touring party were the latest to test positive for COVID-19.
(With ANI Inputs)
