England announce new squad for Pakistan ODIs after players, staff test positive for Covid

England have announced a new 18-member squad for the ODI series against Pakistan after its original lineup was forced into isolation following a Covid-19 outbreak on Tuesday.

Star all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had been spending time with his family, was called back to lead the new set of players that includes nine debutants.

Seven members of England team test positive for COVID-19

The chaos started earlier on Tuesday when three team players and four staff members returned positive tests for the Delta variant of Covid-19, as confirmed by the England Cricket Board (ECB).

“In collaboration with Public Health England, Public Health Wales and Bristol Local Health Authority, those impacted will now observe a period of self-isolation from July 4 following the UK Government's protocol on quarantine,” the board said in an official statement, adding that the remaining members of the party have been deemed close contacts and will also isolate.

The board announced that the ODI and T20 series against Pakistan will go ahead as planned despite the outbreak. However, an entirely different 18-member team will face Pakistan in the first of the three ODIs at Cardiff on Thursday, July 8.

England are due to face Pakistan in three ODIs and three Twenty20 matches.

"Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to captain," ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said.

"We also recognise the impact this news will have on our First Class counties and their men's playing squads and thank them...for their ongoing support in dealing with this pandemic."

All-rounder Stokes has been out of action since injuring his finger at the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year.

Incoming squad and support team members will have PCR tests and follow bridging protocols to ensure safe entry to camp.

The ECB said it was hoping at least some of the isolating players would be available to play the Twenty20 matches against Pakistan scheduled on July 16, 18 and 20.

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The squad will be led by Stokes and includes:

Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire)

Danny Briggs (Warwickshire)

Brydon Carse (Durham)

Zak Crawley (Kent)

Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)

Lewis Gregory (Somerset)

Tom Helm (Middlesex)

Will Jacks (Surrey)

Dan Lawrence (Essex)

Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire)

Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)

Craig Overton (Somerset)

Matt Parkinson (Lancashire)

David Payne (Gloucestershire)

Phil Salt (Sussex)

John Simpson (Middlesex)

James Vince (Hampshire)