Instead of December 2021, the three-match ODI series between Pakistan and West Indies will take place in early June 2022 by the two countries’ respective cricket boards following a Covid-19 outbreak in the tourists’ camp.
This was a major bone of contention and a big trigger behind the mutual call taken by the Pakistan and West Indies boards on December 16. The Windies were severely affected by multiple coronavirus positive cases. On the very first day they arrived in Karachi, three of their players and one support staff member tested positive.
The tour still went ahead and we had the first two T20Is played on December 13 and 14. But the emergence of five more coronavirus positive cases in the West Indies’ camp jeopardized the plans for the series. The extra five positive tests came to light a day before the third T20I on Thursday, plus the tourists also had an injury issue with Devon Thomas sidelined with an ailing finger.
This meant that West Indies had only 14 players and a heavily imbalanced side left to pick for the rest of the series. Still, the third T20I went ahead as their entire squad gave negative follow-up tests, but the threat of successive positive tests and the possibility of being left with a depleted squad amidst a health emergency forced CWI to push the case for postponement of the ODI leg before the PCB agreed to it.
“On Thursday morning and as part of the PCB Covid-19 Protocols, Rapid Antigen tests were conducted on the remaining 15 West Indies players and six player support personnel.
”All 21 members of the West Indies touring party returned negative test result. As such, Thursday’s T20 International (T20I) proceeded as planned.”
“However, taking into consideration both the teams’ welfare as well as limited resources in the West Indies side for the ODIs, it has been agreed that the series, which forms part of the ICC Men’s Cricket Word Cup Super League, will be postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022.”
a joint PCB-CWI release said.
The PCB showed good spirits and, rather than forcing the West Indies into adhering to their commitment, has given the tourists an “equal opportunity” to compete for the three Super League one-dayers with their best squad next year.
