The England cricket team’s limited-overs tour of India, scheduled for September 2020, has been postponed until early 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The tour, which was to include six matches, was clashed with the Indian Premier League’s revised dates in the United Arab Emirates. The ECB and BCCI are now working on rescheduling the tour to take place from January to March next year, following the postponement of the Men’s T20 World Cup.
Postponement of England's Cricket Tour to India
The England cricket team's limited-overs tour of India, which was scheduled for September 2020, has been postponed until early 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Background
The tour was originally set to include three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). However, the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent restrictions on international travel forced the postponement of the tour.
Clash with IPL
A key factor in the postponement was the clash with the revised dates of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The IPL was originally scheduled to be held in March-May 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic. It was eventually rescheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from September 19 to November 10, 2020.
Rescheduling
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are now working on rescheduling the tour to take place from January to March 2021. This follows the postponement of the Men's T20 World Cup, which was scheduled to be held in Australia in October-November 2020.
Top 5 FAQs
1. Why was the tour postponed? Answer: The tour was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions on international travel.
2. When will the tour now take place? Answer: The tour has been rescheduled to take place from January to March 2021.
3. How many matches are included in the tour? Answer: The tour includes six matches - three ODIs and three T20Is.
4. Why did the tour clash with the IPL? Answer: The tour originally scheduled for September 2020 clashed with the revised dates of the Indian Premier League, which was held in the UAE from September 19 to November 10, 2020.
5. What is the impact of the postponement on the teams? Answer: The postponement gives both England and India more time to prepare for the tour and for the players to regain match fitness. It also provides the ECB and BCCI more time to work on the logistics of the tour, including the safety measures that will be in place due to the pandemic.
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