Charith Asalanka (left) and Ishan Jayaratne wait before entering the field for England innings on the third ODI at Bristol County. File / AP

Gulf Today Report

Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) said on Saturday that a one-day series against India would be postponed for five days because of a COVID-19 outbreak in the home team contingent.  

Several Sri Lankan players and officials have been put into isolation after batting coach Grant Flower and data analyst G. T. Niroshan tested positive for the new coronavirus soon after their return from England on Tuesday SLC said in a statement.

The first of three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) will now be due to start on Tuesday (July 18), SLC said in a statement.

The other two ODI games will now be played on July 20 and 23, followed by three Twenty20 matches on July 25, 27 and 29. All the series matches will be held in the national capital Colombo.

"This move aims to give Sri Lanka's national players more time and support staff to complete required health protocols before getting onto the field," the board said.Jay Shah, secretary of the Cricket Control Council of India (BCCI), expressed support for the measure, saying "the situation is very extreme."

Our medical team has always been in contact with the SLC medical team and together they abide by all safety protocols that helped the series begin, the BCCI official said.

SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva said he was "grateful to the BCCI for understanding the situation. Cricket sources said at least one player was also infected with the virus but is undergoing retesting.Soon after the return of the Sri Lanka team, three players and four directors of the England team also tested positive for coronavirus.