The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday announced that the final of the World Test Championship between New Zealand and India will now be played in a bio-secure bubble at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton.

According to the details, ICC in its media release said that the decision to change the venue has been taken by the ICC Board, which follows discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

ICC said that a range of options was considered in the meeting of the officials from both sides, to ensure the inaugural final could be staged safely preventing any sort of impacts from the deadly novel coronavirus.

The ICC while selecting the Hampshire Bowl, drew on ECB’s experience of delivering a full summer of bio-safe international cricket in 2020. According to ICC, the venue provides world-class playing and training facilities, giving both teams the best possible environment in which to prepare.

ICC said that the on-site accommodation will ominously reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and better protect the health and safety of everyone involved in delivering the final.