Two West Indian players, Onaje Amory and Jaden Carmichael, playing in the ongoing Under-19 World Cup tested positive for Covid.
Wickham and Edwards will be placed on the bench
Temporary substitutes have been permitted by the tournament’s Event Technical Committee. Kevin Wickham and Nathan Edwards are the two players who will be placed on the bench for the time being.
The ICC announcement came just hours before a match that West Indies needed to win in order to advance to the quarter-finals. Only offspinner Amory has bowled all ten overs in the two games the West Indies have played so far, taking three wickets at a 3.75 economy rate. Carmichael has yet to participate in a game.
“The ICC has confirmed that the Event Technical Committee of the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup 2022 has approved Kevin Wickham and Nathan Edwards as replacements for Onaje Amory and Jaden Carmichael in the West Indies squad,” ICC stated in an official release.
In the event of a Covid-19 epidemic, the Under-19 World Cup has provisions for matches to be postponed or moved. However, because the West Indies had ample replacements on hand, there was no need to go to extremes. Wickham and Edwards were rushed into the XI for Friday’s match against Sri Lanka, although their presence is just temporary. As soon as the afflicted players are able to return, they will be removed from the squad.
The West Indies are the tournament’s third team to be affected by Covid-19. In early January, four Zimbabwean players tested positive, and at least five Indian players also tested positive.
West Indies have a 1-1 record in the Under-19 World Cup thus far. They were defeated by Scotland by seven wickets after losing by six wickets to Australia in their first match. If they defeat Sri Lanka on Friday, they will face Pakistan, Zimbabwe, or Afghanistan in the quarter-finals.