The three-Test series between England and West Indies in June has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak, Cricket West Indies (CWI) said on Friday.
West Indies had been scheduled to play on 4-8 June at The Oval, 12-16 June at Edgbaston and 25-29 June at Lord’s.
The decision to postpone the tour came as the result of the uncertainty surrounding the safe resumption of the sport in Britain as well as international air travel.
“We continue to be in regular dialogue with the ECB on when and how we might be able to rearrange the Test series,” said the CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave.
“Clearly playing in June is now not possible and we will continue our discussions with the ECB and other Internationals Boards on trying to find new dates. We will only travel to England to play the series if our players can be assured that it is safe to do so.”
The CWI said the proposed window for the staging of this series is now July until the end of September.
The prospect of the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final taking place in 2021 will hinge on whether England can salvage a cricket season this year and get their home series against Pakistan played.
The nine teams in the WTC need to have played six series apiece by the time the top two – currently India and Australia – play off for the trophy at Lord’s in June 2021 and, though a number are already starting to be postponed, the southern hemisphere summer later in the year offers an outside chance of playing catch-up.
Joe Root’s England side have played two series but are already in arrears after the West Indies postponement and after their tour of Sri Lanka was abandoned in March. Should they fail to host Pakistan, all three series would need to be played on the road next winter, on top of a five-Test visit to India from January.