West Indies-Australia ODI Suspended After Positive COVID-19 Test

A non-playing staff at the Kensington Oval tested positive for COVID-19 forcing the game to be suspended.

West Indies and Australia players line up for the national anthem.

Image: PTI 

The second One-day International between West Indies and Australia was postponed minutes before the start at the Kensington Oval after a non-playing staff of the home side tested positive for COVID-19.

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has said that all the members of the two teams, match officials and TV crew will remain in isolation in their hotel rooms and be tested before a decision is taken on replaying the match at a later date.

The match was about to begin as the toss had taken place and Australia had handed right-arm fast bowler Riley Meredith a debut when report of the positive test came in.

CWI said in a statement on Friday (IST) that, "The second CG Insurance ODI between West Indies and Australia has been postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test result from a non-playing member of the West Indies staff. This decision was taken after the toss at Kensington Oval once the result was known.

"The established Covid-19 protocols stipulate that all members of both teams and match officials will return immediately to the team hotel and will be re-tested later today. They will remain in isolation in their hotel rooms until their PCR-Test results are returned," the statement said.

"A decision on when the match will be replayed will be made at a later date once all the test results are confirmed."

Australia, after losing the T20I series 2-3, had come back strongly in the opening ODI, crushing West Indies by 133 runs under D/L Method at the same venue on July 20.