England cricket team arrives in Sri Lanka

England cricket team arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday to continue the two-match Test tour cancelled back in March last year due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The players and support staff underwent antigen tests upon arrival. They travelled in a chartered flight and landed in Mattalla, in the south of the Indian Ocean Island on Sunday.

Sri Lanka after closing its airspace to scheduled commercial flights since May now only has handful of repatriation flights and charters allowed.

“We are very excited about the Galle Tests,” Root told a small group of cameramen allowed into the terminal for their arrival.

Airport staff in white hazmat suits sprayed the hands and footwear of the visitors and their luggage before they were allowed into the terminal for coronavirus tests.

Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Ashley Giles, said the team looked forward to playing at the seaside Galle stadium adjoining a colonial-era fort.

“To play in Galle will be very special –- it is one of the iconic venues in world cricket,” he said in a statement.

“The past 10 months have been uncertain for us all, but having international cricket returning to Sri Lanka will be a massive boost for cricket fans all over the world.”