’’A’’ team and other tours failed to materialise because of COVID-19, says SLC CEO

The Sri Lanka team took part in the ICC Under 19 World Cup in South Africa in January-February 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

One of the main reasons attributed by a team of past Sri Lankan captains and cricketers in a recent talk show, towards Sri Lanka’s successive 2-0 Test series defeats at the hands of South Africa and England, was the absence of any tours organised by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for the A team, the Emerging side and the Under 19 team, from which one derives the bench strength for the national team.

Based on what facts these past cricketers made these allegations we do not know, for since 2015 – and even before that – Sri Lanka has had several tours organised for the three categories on a regular basis.

For instance, in 2019 the following tours took place:

A TEAM – Ireland to Sri Lanka (two 4-dayers/five ODIs), Sri Lanka to India (two 4-dayers/five ODIs), Bangladesh to Sri Lanka (three 4-dayers/three ODIs)

EMERGING TEAM – Sri Lanka to South Africa (two 4-dayers/seven ODIs), ACC Emerging Asia Cup, ACC Emerging Team Cup

UNDER 19 TEAM – Sri Lanka to Bangladesh (two Tests/five ODIs), Australia to Sri Lanka (one Test/three ODIs), Pakistan to Sri Lanka (five ODIs), ACC Under 19 Asia Cup, Under 19 Tri-Nation in West Indies (with West Indies, England)

Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva said: “There were A team tours scheduled last year but we couldn’t go ahead with them because we mainly focussed on the domestic tournament and international tours due to the COVID-19 pandemic all over the world. The teams were also not prepared to travel at that time and were not happy to go through the process of 14 days quarantine.”

In 2020 the ICC Under 19 World Cup was played in South Africa in January-February before the pandemic spread and brought a halt to all sports throughout the world.

SLC had drawn up the following schedule for 2020 after the Under 19 World Cup, but unfortunately none of them could take place due to the pandemic:

A TEAM – Pakistan to Sri Lanka, India to Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka to South Africa

EMERGING TEAM – Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, ACC Emerging Asia Cup

UNDER 19 TEAM – South Africa to Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka to Pakistan, ACC Under 19 Asia Cup

De Silva added: “Some of the tours which were scheduled to be played in 2020 would be rescheduled for this year. We normally have three A team tours, three Under 19 tours and one or two Development Squad tours every year. Last year we couldn’t have tours because of the situation in the country. We have a budget for all that. We budget to have two to three A team tours, three Development Squad tours and three under 19 tours every year. We have been having these tours going since 2015 or even before that.”

For 2021 SLC has scheduled the following tours to which some of the postponed 2020 tours may be added:

A TEAM – Sri Lanka to Ireland or Pakistan to Sri Lanka, South Africa to Sri Lanka

EMERGING TEAM – ACC Emerging Asia Cup

UNDER 19 TEAM – Sri Lanka to South Africa, Sri Lanka to India, ACC Under 19 Asia Cup, England to Sri Lanka (probably for a Tri Nation with South Africa).