In the Women’s ODI World Cup starting next week, teams will be allowed to field even with nine fit players in the event of the outbreak of COVID-19.
According to reports from New Zealand, which will host the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup from March 4 to April 3. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that female members of the team’s support staff will be allowed to field in a match.
Normally, a team must have 11 players with a squad option of 15, if more than one player is not available, they are allowed to field.
But to keep the tournament on track despite the rising number of COVID-19 cases in New Zealand, the ICC has made these changes in the rules of the game.
ICC Head of Events Chris Tetley said on Thursday: “If it becomes necessary. We will allow a team to field nine players as an exception to this environment and if they have women from within their management team.”
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ICC World Cup:
Option, we will enable them to play two options, non-batting, non-bowling to enable a game. Teams beyond the 15-player squad are allowed to bring additional reserves with them to New Zealand has been given, so that players can be brought in and out of the team in case of a covid infection.
We have allowed squads to bring in additional travel stock so that they can change temporarily if needed.
Because due to covid, four or more Players inside and outside the squad during the five-week event, so there is an opportunity for players.”
The daily case count in New Zealand rose by 6000 on Thursday to a new high of 6137. The World Cup schedule has 31 matches at six venues in less than a month and Tetley said the Games could be rescheduled should a team have a significant Covid-19 outbreak.
Cricket World Cup CEO Andrea Nelson said players will follow some strict protocols to keep themselves safe.