England name entire new squad for Pakistan ODI series after sudden COVID-19 outbreak

© Provided by DNA

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have named an entirely new squad for the upcoming one-day international series against Pakistan starting Thursday, July 8 after a sudden COVID-19 outbreak. Three players and four members of the support staff tested positive for COVID-19 and will go into isolation.

After which, the entire squad was deemed as close contacts and will go into isolation. However, the board confirmed that the ODIs and the subsequent T20Is against Pakistan will go ahead as per scheduled with an entirely new squad led by star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who returns to national duties after a long gap due to finger injury he sustained during the IPL.

ECB CEO Tom Harrison talking about the same in a statement said, “We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of bio secure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak. We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.

“Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to Captain. We also recognise the impact this news will have on our First Class Counties and their Men’s playing squads and thank them, along with our partners Sky and Royal London, for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic,” he added.

After which England Cricket Team Managing Director Ashley Giles spoke about the selection of the 18-men squad for the series out of whom nine are uncapped, saying, “We’re in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and I’m very proud of how everyone has come together in order to get it done – both those within the ECB and from the county game.

“Ben hasn’t captained our ODI side before so it’s a huge honour for him. We all wish him well and it’s a role I’m sure he’ll thrive in.”

England Squad for Pakistan ODI series – Ben Stokes(c), Ben Duckett, James Vince, Phil Salt, Dawid Malan, Zak Crawley, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Danny Briggs, Brydon Carse, Jake Ball, Lewis Gregory, Tom Helm, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, John Simpson, David Payne