International cricket has been closed since March 13 due to COVID-19 Pandemic. It has been more than 100 days since the last international cricket match was played. Now its return countdown has begun. The three-match Test series between England and West Indies begins on 8 July. This series will be a part of the World Test Championship. The fans are very excited for this encounter and so as the players. The date 8th July will be remembered in the history of cricket as the come-back of cricket after 3 months.

The rules have also been changed for the return of cricket. No more saliva will be used on the ball. The match will have local umpires. Fans will not be able to watch the match at the stadium. Talking about the World Championship, England have won 5 out of 9 matches. The team is at number four with 146 points. On the other hand, the Windies team has played two matches and lost in both.

England will host the West Indies and then Pakistan at the end of this month. The Pakistan team has arrived in the UK and have started their practice sessions. The will be under 14-day quarantine simultaneously. The Windies team have played few practice games and are ready for the encounter, whereas England had practiced with two teams named Ben Stokes XI and Jos Buttler XI and selected the players on the basis of their performances.

The West Indies team will wear the T-shirt bearing the logo 'Black Lives Matter' in the series. The ICC has also approved it. This logo will be on the collar of the T-shirt. Protests against apartheid began around the world after the recent death of black George Floyd in police custody in the US. After this, apart from football and cricket, all sports players supported the 'Black Lives Matter' movement.

This big change in cricket history

Captain Jason Holder said, "We believe that it is our duty to raise our voice against it. Everyone should help with awareness. This is a major change in the history of sports, cricket and the West Indies team. We have come here to play a Test series in England, but are also supporting it in the fight for justice and justice going on in the world”.

Alisha designed logo

Black Lives Matter logo has been designed by graphics designer Alisha Hosna. A similar logo was also used in the football tournament English Premier League. Players from all the 20 teams of the league played the match wearing T-shirts bearing the logo.

England on Saturday selected a 13-man squad for the first Test of the three-match Test series against West Indies starting next week. Moeen Ali and wicketkeeper Johnny Bairstow were not included in the team as their performances off-lately wasn’t up to the mark. All-rounder Ben Stokes will take over the captaincy as Joe Root will not be able to play in the first Test starting July 8 due to the birth of his second child. The team includes fast bowlers James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Joffra Archer and Mark Wood as well as all-rounders Stokes and Chris Woakes. In the spin department, spin bowler Dom Bess was preferred over Jack Leach.

West Indies Squad: Jason Holder (captain), Jermaine Blackwood, Nkrumah Bonner, Kraigg Brathwaite, Shamarh Brooks, John Campbell, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Chemar Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Raymon Reifer, Kemar Roach

England Squad for the 1st Match:  Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wk), Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Ollie Pope, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.