For more info: https://www.sportsingapore.gov.sg/Newsroom/Media-Releases/2021/May/Updated-as-of-18-May-2021-Further-Stricter-SMM-For-Sport-And-Physical-Exercise-,-a-,-Activity

Here are the latest guidelines from SportSG for cricket and other sporting and physical activities – https://circle.myactivesg.com/circle-news/media-releases/additional-support-for-businesses-and-seps-affected-by-stricter-smm-for-gyms-and-studios-0?type=media-release

On 6 May 2021, SportSG issued updated guidance covering the stricter set of measures that concerns all sports including cricket, physical exercises & activities, and public & private sports & recreational facilities in Singapore for the period of 8 to 30 May 2021. The stricter measures described in this guidance have to be adhered to starting 8 May 2021 and ending at the close of 30 May 2021. These measures are directed towards reducing or containing the community spread of COVID-19 by stopping sport and physical activities that take place in high risk environments. In general, high risk environments are enclosed, confined indoor spaces, where participants are likely to be engaging in strenuous activities unmasked.

Here are some directives relevant to cricket –

• Indoor gyms have to be temporarily closed
• Cricket facilities can only admit a maximum number of persons according to its Gross Floor Area based on 10 sqm per person, up to a maximum of 50 persons, instead of 8 sqm per person. No facility, regardless of size, shall admit more than 50 persons.
• Group cricket training activities are limited to groups of 5 persons.
  • For organised programmes and classes, an additional service provider (such as an instructor or coach) from a permitted enterprise may guide the group. Multiple groups of 5 remain allowable up to 30 persons or the capacity limit of the venue, whichever is lower. The groups of 5 are not to intermingle and must remain 3 metres apart.
  • Social cricket activities should be kept at 5 participants.
• Other safe management measures like wearing masks, avoiding sharing of equipment, minimum physical interaction, hygiene and safe distancing must strictly remain in place.
• All cricket competitions and tournaments planned during this period will require the approval of SportSG and SCA before they can proceed.

You can find the complete SportSG advisory here – https://www.sportsingapore.gov.sg/Newsroom/Media-Releases/2021/May/Stricter-Safe-Management-Measures-For-Sport-And-Physical-Exercise-and-Activity-(8-to-30-May-2021)

The Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) and Sport SG in collaboration with Singapore Cricket Association, NSA (National Sports Association) for cricket have approved a pilot project for full squad training beyond the current limit of 8+1 training.

Members of the Singapore national cricket Team and Carded Players have been selected for partaking in this exercise.

The PILOT Project will be conducted in an ‘Exclusive Training Zone’ (ETZ) at Singapore Indian Association where only the selected players and support staff can operate inside the ETZ during the set time frame.

Before commencing this pilot project all players will undergo PCR testing and adhere to other COVID19 Protection Protocols in place.

The duration of the pilot project will be 30 days and upon completion will provide authorities with a basis towards planning for likely recommencement of Elite Cricket full strength training and match Scenarios.

This will assist in the preparations of Singapore’s Elite men’s, Women’s and U19 players towards key World Cup Qualifiers and bilateral series.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced that the two remaining series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League A have been rescheduled due to COVID-19.

The Men’s Cricket World Cup Challenge League A, which forms part of the qualifying pathway to the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India, was scheduled to see the remaining 30 List A matches played in the final two series of the competition.

Canada, Denmark, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Vanuatu were due to play the second series in Canada between 15 and 28 August 2021 and the third series in Malaysia in 2022. The Malaysia event has been brought forward to November/December 2021 and the Canada series pushed back to July/August 2022.

The decision to reschedule both series was taken due to ongoing restrictions and suspension of sporting activities as part of the ICC’s comprehensive contingency planning of COVID-19. Following extensive consultation with Members, relevant government and public health authorities, it was decided the best opportunity for countries to host and for qualification to be determined on the field of play was to reschedule.

Canada currently lead Singapore on net run rate with both teams on eight points in the standings. The top team at the culmination of the competition will secure one of the six places in the Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Play-Off to be held in 2023, alongside the table topper in Challenge League B and the bottom four teams in the Men’s CWC League 2.

In addition, in the pathway to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, the Men’s T20 World Cup Asia B Qualifier has been pushed back by eight days due to scheduling congestion and to provide Malaysia with sufficient preparation time to safely host. The new dates for the event are 11 -17 July 2021.

Singapore and Oman have been elevated to the ICC U19 CWC Division 1 Asia tournament based on previous results. This tournament is scheduled to be held in Sept 2021 and is the pathway event for 2022 ICC U19 Cricket World Cup. Players born on or after 01-Sep-2002 are eligible to participate in this event.

Both Singapore and Oman were scheduled to participate in the ICC U19 CWC Division 2 Asia event last year alongside Bhutan, Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Due to COVID 19, ICC has decided to cancel the Division 2 tournament and promote Singapore and Oman to Division 1 event based on previous results.

Back in 2017, Singapore U19 team made history by qualifying for U19 Asia Cup and also U19 Division 1 World Cup qualifiers for the first time. Boys who were part of that U19 squad like Siddhant, Aryaman, Rohan, Janak, Aahan, Abdul Rahman & Avi now form the core of the Singapore National men’s squad. We hope that this time the boys can go one step forward and qualify for 2022 ICC U19 Cricket WorldCup.