ICC World Cricket League A in Canada Postponed to 2022

Toronto (April 8, 2021): The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced today that this summer’s World Cricket League A round-robin event due to be played in Canada has been postponed to July/August 2022 due to COVID-19 considerations. The participating teams in World Cricket League A are Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Vanuatu.
Given existing COVID-19 infection challenges in Ontario, where the tournament was almost certainly expected to be played, and current 14-day quarantine and isolation period protocols for those arriving in Canada by air this decision makes sense. Some of the countries involved in World Cricket League A may also have designated quarantine periods at present or at some future date. Back-to-back quarantine periods would surely be a major challenge to players, coaches and team management in the middle ranks and lower ranks of ICC Associate cricket
World Cricket League A was due to include three series of round-robin games. The first series was played in Malaysia after which Canada held the edge over Singapore due to a better net run rate. Today’s ICC announcement advises Malaysia will now host the second series of matches later this year in November/December 2021 rather than in 2022. Canada’s leading players and some prospects gain a potential opportunity to play in Malaysia this summer as a result of yesterday’s announcement that the third GT20 will be played in Malaysia.
Hopefully the COVID situation in Canada will have improved in some of the larger provinces by this summer and the need for some of the existing quarantine requirements might begin to dissolve. But that’s a very big hope and something on a distant horizon for later in 2021 or in 2022.
Meanwhile, those based in Ontario are left to wonder when outdoor cricket practice and play might be allowed now that the latest lockdown/shutdown comes into effect for 28 days starting today (April 8, 2021).
Eddie Norfolk

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