IND vs ENG: 5th Test cancelled due to Covid, BCCI offers ECB to reschedule it

Manchester: The fifth and final ICC World Test Championship match between England and India, scheduled to start here on Friday, was cancelled after Covid-19 disrupted the Indian camp, rendering the visitors unable to field a team.

Both, BCCI and ECB mutually decided to cancel the fifth Test at Old Trafford.

'Following ongoing conversations with the BCCI, the ECB can confirm that the fifth Test between England and India Men due to start today at Emirates Old Trafford, will be cancelled,' the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement.

"Due to fears of a further increase in the number of COVID cases inside the camp, India are regrettably unable to field a team," it added.

A BCCI statement later said that it would work with the ECB to find a window to reschedule the final Test.

"The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test Match, however, the outbreak of Covid-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the Old Trafford Test Match,' read BCCI's statement.

"In lieu of the strong relationship between BCCI and ECB, the BCCI has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the cancelled Test match. Both the Boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match,' it added.

There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding the final Test ever since India's second physio - Yogesh Parmar - tested positive for Covid-19.

Following this development, India's practice session on the eve of the Test was also called off with the players undergoing a fresh round of tests.

Even though all the players tested negative, they were worried about their health, and as a precautionary measure the final test was cancelled. (UNI)