India vs SL ODI series to start from July 18: BCCI

India's limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka has been delayed by five days after two COVID-19 infections were detected in the home team contingent, BCCI said on Saturday.

Batting coach Grant Flower and data analyst GT Niroshan tested positive for the new coronavirus soon after their return from England on Tuesday, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said in a statement on Friday.

The three one-day internationals will now be played on July 18, 20 and 23, followed by three Twenty20 matches on July 25, 27 and 29. All matches will be held in Colombo.

"We understand that the circumstances are extraordinary, but the BCCI would like to extend its full support to Sri Lanka Cricket during these tough times for the smooth conduct of the upcoming series," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said.

"Our medical team is in constant touch with the team of doctors at SLC and together following all safety protocols that will help the series to get underway."

SLC chief executive Ashley de Silva said he was "grateful to the BCCI for understanding the situation".

Three English players and four staff members also tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, forcing them to field an entirely new squad for their home series against Pakistan.

The SLC on Friday also postponed the Lanka Premier League, which was to begin on July 30, to November-December citing cricket's packed calendar.

Earlier in the day, a Sri Lankan player in one of the two bio-bubbles had tested positive for COVID-19 as the virus outbreak continued to rock the home team ahead of its limited overs series against India.

Newswire.lk quoted Sri Lankan sources as saying that batsman Sandun Weerakkodi has tested positive for the virus.

Weerakoddy wasn't a part of UK-returned team. That team is still in isolation post Flower and Niroshan's positive cases.

The latest positive case came from a separate bubble of 13 players.

According to a report in the website, Weerakkodi was with the 15 senior cricketers, who were training here while staying at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

The report further stated that Weerakkodi, along with Bhanuka Rajapaksa and several other cricketers, were sent to Dambulla on Friday night to play practice matches ahead of the India series.

The squad staying at Cinnamon Grand also includes Asela Guneratne, Angelo Perera and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, and all of them will now have to undergo quarantine.

There is another group of 26 cricketers putting up in a separate bubble in Dambulla, and SLC said that they are all fine.