England selected an entirely new squad for their limited-overs series against Pakistan after three players and four staff members tested positive for COVID-19.
Peter Handscomb was forced to miss his county match against Leicestershire in England after testing positive for COVID-19.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani is against the idea of someone from among the 'big three' nations of India, England and Australia becoming the next ICC chairperson, saying it would be "healthier" for the game to select someone from other boards.
Jonny Bairstow was initially included in the selection but the England and Wales Cricket Board later said he had been ruled out of the rest of the summer and the T20 World Cup after suffering a lower limb injury in a freak accident while playing golf in Leeds on Friday.
Rashid will fly to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, which means he will also miss the latter stages of Yorkshire's T20 Blast campaign.
The ECB said that after the conclusion of play on the first day, the match referee, groundstaff and ECB Match Manager would discuss the start times for the next day and if the forecast looked good, play could begin at 1030.
The 26-year-old returned to action for county side Sussex against Kent last week in a bid to regain match fitness but he only bowled five overs in Kent's second innings due to pain in the elbow.
All-rounder Ben Stokes on Thursday was not included in England's 15-man preliminary squad for the Twenty20 World Cup as he continues to take a break from cricket to focus on his mental health, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.
'The game of cricket needed this Test match. The series was brilliantly poised. It just does not sit comfortably that a Test match can be cancelled 90 minutes before the toss. It is completely disrespectful towards the paying public.'
England fast bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from "all international cricket" after historical racist and sexist tweets came to light earlier this week when he made his Test debut against New Zealand.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Stokes, who has played for Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiant in the past, will likely play as a specialist batter initially to manage his knee injury, for which he has been administered cortisone shots -- an anti-inflammation injection.
'I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted.'
Pakistan's team will arrive in England on Sunday before entering a two-week quarantine period ahead of their tour, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. Three Test matches and three T20 internationals are scheduled behind closed doors.
One of the most exciting players of his era, Ben Stokes has battled a spate of injuries in recent times and took a break from the game last year to focus on his mental well-being.
England batsman Ollie Pope was on Saturday rendered a doubtful starter for the opening Test against India after suffering a thigh injury during his stint for Surrey in the domestic T20 tournament.
The disciplinary hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club is a "terrible look for the game", former England captain Michael Vaughan said on Friday.
England's One-Day International series with South Africa has been cancelled after reported breaches of the teams' bio-secure environment in Cape Town.
Physio will observe the social distancing at each venue to accommodate the training, with coaches joining the sessions from next week.
The Test series, to be played in a bio-secure environment to counter the COVID-19 threat, is subject to the final approval of the UK government.
Former opener Mark Butcher feels the England and Wales Cricket Board should have agreed to the BCCI's request to change the Test series schedule to accommodate the remaining games of IPL as it would have given ECB the leverage to get top Indian players for its The Hundred tournament.
England pacer Jofra Archer was on Thursday cleared to join his teammates at Southampton's Ageas Bowl ahead of the three-Test series against West Indies after he tested negative for COVID-19 for the second time. The 25-year-old Archer did not join the team's training earlier after a member of his household fell ill. He had tested negative for COVID-19 the first time too, but as a precautionary measure he went through another test ahead of joining his England teammates.
Earlier, it was established that each bowler would be using his own cricket ball as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.
Pakistan will be competing in a three-Test and three-T20 series starting July 30 in a bio-secure environment owing to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mitch Claydon has been suspended by his county side Sussex for allegedly applying hand sanitiser on the ball.
England's Mark Wood said an attack on former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was worrying ahead of a three-Test series in the Asian country.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is likely to take a call around July on the availability of foreign players for the remainder of IPL 2021.
England all-rounder Sam Curran can resume training ahead of next week's first Test against West Indies after testing negative for COVID-19, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. Curran was self-isolating in his room at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton after feeling unwell and undergoing a test.
ECB chairman Colin Graves, who is supposed to step down from his country's board in November 2020, has emerged as the favourite for the ICC top job. It is learnt that Shashank Manohar has decided against seeking an extension for a third two-year-term.
The five-Test series pours about A$200 million ($145.68 million) into Cricket Australia (CA) coffers through broadcast, sponsorship and ticketing, local media have reported.
Former Test umpire and Hampshire cricketer John Holder is among those who have called for an independent inquiry into the dearth of non-white match officials in English cricket.
Spinner Adil Rashid returns to both T20 and ODI squads after missing the series against India to make The Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca.
England pacer James Anderson is 'gutted' that the fifth and final Test against India at his home ground in Manchester's Old Trafford was cancelled, bringing a premature end to the exciting series, which he said deserved a better finish.
The Emirati organisers of this year's Indian Premier League are hopeful of at least some fan presence in the stands during the matches, a top official said. The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) is finalising preparations to host the world's richest Twenty20 league from September 19 after India's struggle to contain the COVID-19 surge prompted its relocation.
Jofra Archer was handed a fine and an official warning, on Saturday, by ECB for breaching the team's bio-secure protocols
'Unlike before, the players cannot just go out in the evenings after a long day in the field. This is where it is very important that the families are there to help the players switch off after play and not feel the heat. The BCCI has always had the interest of the players in mind and this time too the board stood like a rock to help get the necessary clearance from the UK government with assistance from the ECB.'
Dutch cricket ventures to a new frontier in maiden New Zealand voyage
England pulled out of their Pakistan tour last year soon after New Zealand had abandoned their tour of the South Asian country over security concerns.
Bit-hitting Lynn was announced as one of the marquee players in the International League T20.
ECB's Harrison said the board was getting used to the idea of hosting cricket in empty stadiums.
'I think the ECB has been very forward-thinking,' Buttler said, praising the board for recognising the challenges of living in bio-bubbles
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