India Vs South Africa Series Likely To Be Played Without Spectators Amid Threats Of New Covid Variant: Report

Cricket South Africa's CEO said 'the government knows we prepare strong bio-bubbles' and thus can play the IND Vs SA series without spectators.

Image: AFP

Concerns are raised on the India vs South Africa series which is due to start on December 17, 2021, after a new variant of Covid-19 was found in South Africa. It was reported by Inside Sport that despite the global concerns surrounding the new variant of Covid-19, Cricket South Africa (CSA) is planning to hold the series without spectators.

The report said that the CSA is desperate to hold the series due to conduct the series due to the huge financial implications involved.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated the new variant found in South Africa as a “variant of concern” on Friday after a meeting of an expert panel.

The new variant was first reported by South Africa on Thursday, and soon the countries had started imposing travel bans and taking cautionary actions. 

“We can play without spectators in the same way we did against Pakistan and Sri Lanka because the government knows we prepare strong bio-bubbles," said CSA acting chief executive officer Pholetsi Moseki. 

"With the way things are panning out, I guess the only thing we can do now is to wait on the government and see what happens. We hope we don’t get to a state where there is a total shutdown," he added.

As far as the BCCI's stand on the matter is concerned, the board said, "Let's wait and watch, we will go by government's advisory. It is an evolving situation," to PTI on Friday.

"Look, till we get a detailed picture of the ground situation from Cricket South Africa (CSA), we will not be able to tell our next step. As per the current plan, the Indian team is supposed to leave either on December 8 or 9 just after the New Zealand series gets over in Mumbai," the source said.

India will play three Tests, Three ODIs, and four T20Is against South Africa across the four venues of Johannesburg, Centurion, Paarl, and Cape Town.