Icc Odi Championship

After a 3-1 Test series defeat and a 3-2 setback in their T20I clashes with India, world champions England will look to end their tour on a high in three ODIs to be played in Pune over the next week.

Archer will be flying back home for checks on his injury, however, and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said he must also miss the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

That deals a blow to Rajasthan Royals ahead of the tournament that begins on April 9, with Archer having impressed against India in the T20 games.

The ECB said on Sunday: "Jofra Archer is returning to the UK for further management and investigation of his right elbow injury.

"Archer's elbow issue has deteriorated over the course of the Twenty20 International series and made it increasingly challenging for him to maintain performance levels. He has been deemed unfit for selection for the ODI series that features matches on 23, 26 and 28 March.

"The ECB medical team will assess the player and, together with Jofra, develop a treatment plan and a return-to-play schedule in due course. As a consequence, Jofra will miss the start of this year’s Indian Premier League."

England's ODI squad, aside from the obvious loss of Archer, is comprised of players selected for the T20 series and the reserves for those games.

England squad: Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Livingstone, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

Also travelling with the squad: Jake Ball, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan.

Archer has endured a torrid time with injuries across the last three years, and has not featured for England in any format since March 2021.

However, he is set to play against South Africa in a three-match ODI series, which starts in Bloemfontein on Friday.

"Hopefully it can be a repeat of 2019," Archer told reporters. "We've got again a 50-over World Cup and an Ashes in the same year so more of the same, please.

"There's no reason to look back. I've done my time and I'm here now. That's the most important thing.

"I'd probably say I'm about 80 per cent [fit]. Just some fine-tuning now.

"I know whenever I'm fully fit, I don't think there's much that can stop me, it's just a matter of when that was going to be."

Archer has warmed up for England's tour of South Africa by taking eight wickets for MI Cape Town in the SA20.

"Playing cricket again for the first time a few weeks ago, I'm still riding off that wave of emotions right now," said Archer, who is not expected to play in all three ODIs.

"Hopefully in two days it can go up another level. It's just been good to play cricket and actually not have to worry about if my body's going to give way. I think that was the most important tick for me so far."

England white-ball coach Matthew Mott is willing to be cautious with Archer's recovery.

"We will work through it with him, see how his body is coping," Mott said. "I definitely think he is a high priority and he will be managed as well as possible. 

"What he is very big on is not wasting too many balls in practice. He really loves his match balls and that's a great attest of his resilience.

"We will keep talking to him about his bowling loads and how he's going."

South Africa head into the series with ICC Men's Emerging Cricketer of the Year on board, Marco Jensen.

However, only two of his 39 wickets, and 16 of his 234 runs, have come in ODIs.

Archer was ruled out of the ODI series due to a worsening elbow issue and travelled home to the United Kingdom.

The fast bowler has since had a scan and a consultant review, which has prompted the decision to have a procedure on his right hand, while he has also had a further injection for his right elbow.

"The procedure on Jofra's hand will take place on Monday 29 March so he can recover during the planned break following his elbow injection," a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) read on Saturday.

"Jofra suffered a cut to his hand while cleaning at his home in January shortly before flying to India to prepare for the Test series.

"The injury was managed by the ECB's medical team through the tour and it did not impact on his availability.

"Further investigation and a specialist opinion was sought upon his return to the UK and, in conjunction with the ECB medical panel, it has been decided that surgery is the best option to manage his injury in the longer term."

As well as dealing with Archer's absence, England have been without captain Eoin Morgan since the first ODI after sustaining his own hand injury.

But stand-in skipper Jos Buttler was still waiting on news of the fitness of Sam Billings, who missed the second ODI with a bruised collarbone, and Mark Wood, who was rested.

England lost their four-match Test series against India 3-1 and were then beaten in a Twenty20 International decider to go down 3-2.

Tied at 1-1 ahead of the third and final ODI, Buttler is hoping for better luck as he targets a third successive win as captain for the first time. He has five victories from seven matches so far.

"We want to win all the games we play," he said. "It's great to be in another final, as such. Obviously the T20s went to a decider and this series will do the same.

"They're great games to be involved in, we're all very much looking forward to it. It was an excellent performance [on Friday], so we take lots of confidence into the game on Sunday."

Friday saw England claim a six-wicket win thanks to a superb chase led by Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

Bairstow (124), who has now hit an England record 26 sixes against India, had 100-run stands with both fellow opener Jason Roy and Stokes, as the tourists had two century partnerships in the same ODI for the first time since the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Bairstow and Roy reached the hundred mark for the 13th time in ODIs, the most ever recorded by an England duo, while they have the highest average (61.6) of any opening partnership in the history of the format (20-plus innings).

Led by the pair, England have outscored India 148 to 80 in the powerplays in this series.

"They're right up there, aren't they? Everyone will have their opinions on who's the best, but those two have been fantastic," Buttler said.

"The way they play, the pressure their put on an opposition, and the consistency... the way they do that, the fashion they play, it's quite remarkable really.

"They've created some fantastic stands. I don't know the exact numbers, but I know they're pretty impressive. We're all delighted to have them at the top of the order.

"People talk about the numbers a lot of the time, but for us it's more about the fashion we play in, committing to that and the numbers will always look after themselves."

Stokes certainly plays in the same fashion, his rapid innings seeing 50 runs off the first 40 balls and 49 off the next 11.

Asked how the display ranked among the white-ball efforts of an all-rounder who has averaged 56.4 in ODIs since the start of 2017, Buttler had a cheery response.

"It was certainly pretty impressive, wasn't it? He's had a few," the captain said. "His World Cup final one was pretty good. I enjoyed that one."

With a potentially busy schedule to come, Rajasthan Royals duo Archer and Stokes, along with Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Curran will get a well-earned break when England take on the Proteas in three 50-over fixtures in early December. 

Those games follow on from a trio of T20 internationals between the countries as part of a tour cleared to proceed by the South African government amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

Jos Buttler has also been on duty at the IPL for the Royals yet the wicketkeeper-batsman – England's vice-captain in white-ball cricket - is set to be involved in both formats. 

Reece Topley is in the 20 and 50-over squads too, the left-arm paceman having featured in the one-day series against Ireland on home soil earlier this year, his first international appearance in over four years. 

There are also places for Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone and Olly Stone in a 15-man ODI party, along with Test captain Joe Root and fellow World Cup winner Chris Woakes. 

However, Tom Banton has been left out. The batsman is instead on a three-man reserve list alongside Jake Ball and Tom Helm. 

England's players and staff are to depart on November 16 and will play two intra-squad practice matches before the first T20 contest on November 27.

All games will be played behind closed doors as the tourists base themselves in a bio-secure bubble in Cape Town. Newlands will be one of the venues used, along with Boland Park in nearby Paarl. 

England Twenty20 squad

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Chris Jordan, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

England ODI squad

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Lewis Gregory, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Australia headed into Wednesday's third and final match with the series level at 1-1, looking to end India's best ever seven-series winning streak at home.

Brave captaincy from Smith was required to do that, with Australia batting first on a dry and soft surface and scoring 269.

No touring batsman was able to build on a strong start, but the same was then true of the India line-up – Virat Kohli leading the way on 54 but out cheaply – as their target proved just beyond them.

The two innings followed similar patterns, with Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh combining for 68 before the former was caught for 33 three balls after being dropped.

Marsh went on to score 47, but Smith was unable to contribute as he departed for a duck, while each of the next five batters passed 20 but did not reach 40.

It left Australia with a competitive score but one India would have been confident of matching after their own opening stand of 65.

Even after a pair of wickets, the home side rallied to 146-2 with Kohli in fine form.

But Adam Zampa (4-45) and Ashton Agar (2-41) worked through the middle order, meaning Kohli's surprise departure to the latter – picking out David Warner at long-off – represented a blow that ultimately cost India.

Australia bookend India's winning run

Australia's win in the second ODI had snapped India's nine-match winning run in home ODIs, and another sequence was ended on Wednesday.

This was India's first defeat in a multi-game ODI series at home since Australia beat them 3-2 back in March 2019.

Kohli's needless departure

After sharing a 69-run partnership with KL Rahul that set India back on track after two wickets, Kohli looked set to play a part in another strong stand for the fifth wicket.

But after combining for 34 with Hardik Pandya – who scored 28 of those runs off 20 balls – the great batsman gave Warner a simple, vital catch.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Australia are due to play three T20s and three ODIs in England.

Although they have "several hurdles to overcome", Australia named a 26-player preliminary squad on Thursday, including the uncapped Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith and Josh Philippe.

"This preliminary list covers the contingencies of playing one-day Internationals and T20 internationals in bio-secure hubs with the likely prospect of not being able to bring in replacements should the tour proceed," Australia national selector Trevor Hohns said.

"The preliminary list includes several exciting young players who have recently excelled at state level and in the BBL. These emerging players are among those we would like to develop further as we believe they have a bright future in Australian cricket.

"The preliminary list also has a view towards the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup and in the longer term the 2023 ICC World Cup."

Philippe, 23, was the third leading run-scorer in the BBL last season, making 487 at an average of 37.46 for Sydney Sixers.

Sams, meanwhile, was the leading wicket-taker with 30 at 15.36 as he starred for Sydney Thunder, while Meredith, 24, took 10 wickets at 13.70 in just six games for Hobart Hurricanes.

Still, there remains uncertainty over the tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Cricket Australia (CA) executive general manager of national teams Ben Oliver said work was ongoing.

"The ECB [England and Wales Cricket Board] are a long-standing and valued international cricket partner and we are doing all we can to give the tour the best possible chance of taking place," he said.

"We continue to work with the ECB and government agencies and a decision on the tour will be made in due course. 

"In the meantime, the identification of a preliminary list will enable us to work with players and states more directly on the preparation for the tour in the hope it can proceed.  

"The health and wellbeing of players and staff, along with our commitment to public health within our communities, remain our utmost priority."

Australia: Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Riley Meredith, Michael Neser, Josh Philippe, Daniel Sams, D’Arcy Short, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

The Proteas were always fighting a losing battle in Colombo after allowing Sri Lanka to make 300-9 – their highest total in 50-over cricket in 2021.

Avishka (118) was the star with the bat, putting on 79 in a partnership with Dhananjaya de Silva (44) that was disrupted briefly by a rain delay, with better to come as he was joined in the middle by Charith Asalanka (72).

That stand of 97 for the fourth wicket put Sri Lanka in command, as a bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada (2-66) struggled to keep them in check.

South Africa were no more than steady in reply and keenly felt the dismissal of Aiden Markram to an outstanding Wanindu Hasaranga catch after 96 runs, including four sixes.

Captain Temba Bavuma had already retired hurt after taking a blow to his hand, and Rassie van der Dussen's departure preceded some superb death bowling to see Sri Lanka comfortably over the line – the Proteas short of their target on 286-6.

Profitable partnership

With the exception of Keshav Maharaj, who gave up 30 runs in 10 overs for his most economical ODI return, South Africa's bowlers were really poor. But Avishka and Asalanka still had to capitalise and did exactly that with a vital partnership that scored at 8.19 an over.

Denied at the death

South Africa required 41 off 25 when Van der Dussen departed, yet they mustered only two more boundaries – both fours from Rabada in the final over when the chase was up. Hasaranga started well and finished strongly, too, slowing Heinrich Klaasen in giving up just three from the 47th over.

Sri Lanka were in complete control of the second one-dayer after opener Fernando (127) and Mendis (119) produced a dominant early showing, teeing up a 161-run triumph in Hambantota.

The hosts did not hit a single six but posted 345-8, the biggest total in men's ODI history not to include a maximum.

And the Windies never looked capable of causing Sri Lanka serious trouble with the bat, opener Shai Hope's knock of 51 their best effort as they were bowled out for an underwhelming 184 with 65 balls remaining.

The tourists' day had started in positive enough fashion, with Kieron Pollard winning the toss, choosing to bowl and then seeing Sheldon Cottrell (4-67) remove home captain Dimuth Karunaratne and Kusal Perera from consecutive deliveries in only the third over.

But that was just about as good as it got, with Fernando and Mendis subsequently combining for their devastating, match-turning partnership.

They stood together for 228 balls until Alzarri Joseph (3-57) finally made a breakthrough in the 41st over, as Mendis, who survived an early drop from Pollard, top-edged for a comfortable Hope take.

Although Joseph took out both Fernando and Angelo Mathews in his next over, the scoreboard had long since got away from the Windies, and scoring remained steady throughout the remainder of the innings.

The reply was initially solid enough, but Hope left partner Sunil Ambris (17) high and dry for a run out.

Mathews got Hope, and then Wanindu Hasaranga (3-30) came to the fore, his haul including a golden duck for Windies skipper Pollard.

Only brief floodlight failure after the eighth wicket delayed Sri Lanka's progress, with the final two dismissals arriving within four balls of the restart courtesy of Nuwan Pradeep (2-37) and Lakshan Sandakan (3-57).

England followed up their emphatic Rose Bowl victory on Thursday with a less assured four-wicket win at the same venue on Saturday as they chased down 213. 

The third and final match takes place next week with England now 2-0 up.

Curtis Campher (68) impressed again as he anchored Ireland's innings, with Adil Rashid taking 3-34.

In reply, Bairstow reached his half-century off just 21 balls, equalling captain Eoin Morgan's record, before eventually falling for 82 from 41 deliveries in a knock that contained 14 fours and two sixes.

Following his dismissal, England promptly lost Morgan and Moeen Ali for ducks, leaving them suddenly struggling at 137-6.

But the two stars of the first match, Sam Billings (46 not out) and David Willey (47no), again came to the fore and got the world champions over the line with 17.3 overs to spare.

Bairstow had a red-ball contract for the 2019-20 season despite struggling for form.

But after featuring just once for the Test team in the past year - scoring only 10 runs in the Boxing Day Test in South Africa - the Yorkshire star has not seen his deal renewed.

Bairstow will instead have only a white-ball contract, as will fast bowler Wood.

The Durham seamer has played three times for the red-ball team this year, impressing in the tour of South Africa, where he took nine wickets in Johannesburg.

But Wood fell down the pecking order as England returned home, with James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes often preferred.

By contrast, there was good news for Crawley, Pope and Sibley, who have established themselves in Joe Root's Test squad.

Crawley has steadily improved since his November 2019 debut, smashing 267 in his first innings against Pakistan last month.

Pope has been a regular this year, too, and had an unbeaten century in South Africa, while Sibley's steady work has bolstered a previously flimsy top order.

Meanwhile, Tom Curran had an increment contract for the previous campaign but now has a white-ball deal. Joe Denly has missed out altogether.

Bangladesh thrashed Zimbabwe by 123 runs on the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method in Sylhet, sealing a 3-0 series triumph and making it 50 ODI wins from 88 matches as skipper for Mortaza.

The 36-year-old was then showered with effusive tributes from the likes of Liton Das, who scored a stunning 176 to set a new national record in the format.

"He's got a very special place in my heart," Das said of Mortaza. "I made my debut under him.

"He's always supported me. Having a captain like that is always rare.

"We will miss him, because when he leads, there's no distinction between seniors and juniors. It's a lot of fun."

Mortaza gave credit to his players, saying: "This is a great honour. My boys have been fantastic. They have given everything for the team. I'd like to say my thanks to all the boys."

Adding to the kind words, Mahmudullah cited Mortaza's overall impact on the game in Bangladesh.

"He's been a brother and a friend, and he's done so much for Bangladesh cricket," he said. "We have operated in a very nice way. When he took over, we were floundering a little bit."

They were sentiments echoed by Tamim Iqbal, who shared a 292-run opening stand with Das on Friday.

"When he took over in 2014, we were nowhere," said Tamim, after making an unbeaten 128. "From 2014 to 2019, he took us to a stage where we were taken seriously all over the world.

"There were people who wanted me dropped, but he backed me all the way."

Veteran opener Guptill, who has played 198 ODIs, has followed in the footsteps of fellow experienced stars Trent Boult and Colin de Grandhomme in seeking a release from his New Zealand Cricket contract.

That has been granted, and while Guptill insists he remains available for international duty as he seeks playing opportunities elsewhere, he will play no part in the series that starts on Friday.

The Black Caps return to their Eden Park stronghold for game one of a three-match series. They have won six of their last seven men's ODIs at the Auckland ground, including a 22-run victory against India in their last match at the venue, in February 2020.

New Zealand swept that series 3-0, but the last time they won back-to-back ODI series against India was when they prevailed in 1976 and 1981.

These are two of the titans of the ODI game, likely to be major contenders come the World Cup next October and November.

India have won seven of their last eight multi-game bilateral ODI series, including five in a row since losing 3-0 to South Africa at the start of this year, while New Zealand's recent run of four series successes was ended with a 3-0 loss to Australia in September.

New Zealand have not lost back-to-back ODI series since October 2017, when they were beaten 2-1 by India. Guptill featured then but sits this one out, and it remains to be seen whether he will be back, with 23-year-old Finn Allen preferred for now.

Home captain Kane Williamson said of Guptill on Thursday: "He's made a decision to explore a few other options, but as a player and as an experienced member of the group, he's added so much value over the years and been one of our best white-ball players ever.

"[He] absolutely will be missed, but he is not retired, so there's a lot to keep working through over the next period to get a real feel for how the picture looks."

India are under-strength, with captain Rohit Sharma leading the absentees, who also include Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah. Shikhar Dhawan captains the tourists.

New Zealand seek to avenge soggy setback in T20s

India won the three-match T20 series between these sides by a 1-0 margin after the first game was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and the third was called a tie on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern rules after rain arrived when it was evenly poised.

It has to be hoped the wet weather stays away this time, with Williamson one game away from equalling Daniel Vettori (82) for the second-most appearances as captain for New Zealand in men's ODIs.

Only Stephen Fleming, away and clear with 218 games as captain, has led the Black Caps more often.

India must prepare well for Bracewell

New Zealand batter Michael Bracewell has hit 17 boundaries (10 fours, seven sixes) during the death overs (41st to 50th) in men's ODIs in 2022, more than any other player from a Test-playing country this year.

If it comes to the crunch and Bracewell is at the wicket, New Zealand will fancy their chances.

Williamson continues to battle an inflamed AC joint in his left shoulder suffered during the third Twenty20 of the five-game series, which India swept 5-0.

The star batsman is still dealing with the injury, leading to the Black Caps calling up Mark Chapman – who has played five 50-over matches for New Zealand – to the squad.

"Kane has had an X-ray scan which cleared him of anything serious, but it's best for his recovery that he avoids aggravating the joint for the next few days," Black Caps team physio Vijay Vallabh said in a statement on Tuesday.

"He will continue his fitness training sessions throughout the week and will start batting again on Friday with the prospect of being available for game three next Tuesday."

Tom Latham will captain New Zealand, with the opening game of the series set for Hamilton on Wednesday.

Chapman, meanwhile, has scored 160 ODI runs at an average of 40, although most of those came against the United Arab Emirates in 2015 before he struggled against England two years ago.

"It's disappointing for Kane, but with so much important cricket still ahead this summer we must take a safety first approach," New Zealand selector Gavin Larsen said.

"It's great to welcome Mark back into the one-day unit off the back of consecutive centuries for New Zealand A against a strong India A side.

"Mark's a versatile player who can cover multiple batting positions and his fielding is a real upshot to have in the squad."

Rahul struck a classy 112 from 113 balls as India posted 296-7 at Mount Maunganui after the fit-again Kane Williamson won the toss and put the tourists in, Hamish Bennett taking 4-64. 

That was not enough for Virat Kohli's side, who whitewashed the Black Caps in the Twenty20 series, to claim a consolation victory as the Cricket World Cup runners-up reached their target with 17 balls to spare.

Henry Nicholls (80) Martin Guptill (66 off 46) put on 106 for the first wicket and Colin de Grandhomme blasted 58 from 28 deliveries to consign India to another defeat.

Kyle Jamieson cleaned up Mayank Agarwal in the second over and held to a catch at third man to claim the big scalp of Kohli for only nine off the bowling of Bennett.

Prithvi Shaw (40) looked well set before he was run out, but Iyer and Rahul put India on their way to setting a challenging target with a fourth-wicket stand of 100.

Iyer brought up his 50 off 52 balls before falling to a short ball from Jimmy Neesham and Mitchell Santner should have run both Rahul and Manish Pandey (42) out.

Rahul, looking very much at home at number five as wicketkeeper-batsman, accelerated after reaching his half-century, taking just 38 balls to move from 50 to three figures before eventually falling to Bennett after Jamieson dropped him off the previous delivery and the ball crossed the rope for six.

Guptill and Nicholls made a great start to the run chase, the former crunching Jasprit Bumrah over midwicket for six and clattering the expensive Shardul Thakur over the ropes for his half-century.

Nicholls continued to tick along nicely but Guptill was bowled by a beauty from Yuzvendra Chahal, the pick of the bowlers with 3-47, after he ought to have been run out by Rahul.

Spinners Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja drew false shots from Williamson (22) and Ross Taylor (12) respectively before Nicholls was caught behind trying to cut Thakur, having struck nine boundaries in an assured knock.

It looked to be game on when Neesham was removed by the impressive Chahal, with the Black Caps needing 77 to win off 63 balls.

De Grandhomme and Tom Latham (32 not out) stepped up to seal the clean sweep, the all-rounder smashing three sixes and finding the rope six times in a swashbuckling outing to end the series in style. 

Despite a late wobble with the bat, England claimed victory with 40 balls unused on Sunday to ensure the three-match series finished level at 1-1, the second game in Durban having been washed out.

Boucher felt his team were "30 to 40 runs short" when making 256-7 with the bat, while they then made an abysmal start with the ball as Jonny Bairstow (43 off 23 balls) got stuck into Lungi Ngidi and Beuran Hendricks.

Although South Africa fought back, dropped chances from Joe Denly and Tom Banton hindered their hopes of turning things around.

"We were probably 30 or 40 runs short and then, with the ball, we just started off really, really poorly and we were playing catch-up after that," said Boucher in a news conference.

"We had chances and we didn't take our opportunities. When you are 30 to 40 runs short, you have got to bowl well, especially up front, and you've got to take your opportunities.

"We didn't do that. That's why we lost."

South Africa and England both rested frontline players for the ODI series, and Boucher indicated the Proteas would continue to experiment in their next 50-over matches against Australia.

"It's a long time until the next [50-over] World Cup, so we can afford to do that," he added.

"There are a lot of good things that happened and a couple of things we need to work on, obviously, but it is quite difficult to judge over two games.

"We'll probably use the next three games against Australia to find out some answers and ask some questions. We do believe we're going in the right direction."

Former skipper Faf du Plessis is likely to return against Australia, though, after being rested and replaced as captain by Quinton de Kock for the ODI and T20 series with England.

"We feel at this point in time he [Du Plessis] needs a bit of a break away from the game," Boucher explained.

"I would like to think, against Australia, the rest will be enough and they [Du Plessis and Kagiso Rabada] can come back and play."

The opening match of the three-game series last Friday was postponed after a positive test for COVID-19 was returned in the hosts' camp.

Two "unconfirmed" positives within the England party saw the rescheduled match in Paarl cancelled just 30 minutes before its scheduled start time on Sunday.

The second ODI in Cape Town was later postponed as a precaution while players and team management went into self-isolation in their hotel rooms.

It had been hoped that back-to-back ODIs could be played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday and Wednesday before the tourists returned to England on Thursday.

However, on Monday, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tour was off "to ensure mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams".

ECB CEO Tom Harrison said: "We have always maintained that the welfare of our players and management is paramount.

"We were concerned about the potential impact that recent developments might have on the wellbeing of the touring party, and so after consultation with Cricket South Africa [CSA], we have jointly made the decision to postpone the remaining matches in this series, in the best interest of the players' welfare.

"I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for their support and understanding on this matter and look forward to working with them to identify a time when we can return to play these fixtures in the future."

CSA acting CEO Kugandrie Govender said: "The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly, and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us.

"I would like to thank the ECB for the continued positive relations, and we look forward to hosting the England men's team in the near future."

England won the three-match Twenty20 series between the sides 3-0.

After a fine showing in the recent series victory over South Africa, Babar replaced his India rival at the summit with 865 points to Kohli's 857.

Babar scored 103 in the opening fixture against the Proteas and closed the three-match showdown with a fine 94, earning the player of the match award.

"This is another milestone in my career, which will now require even more hard work and absolute consistency with the bat in order for me to hold on to the ranking for an extended period of time, like Sir Vivian Richards from January 1984 to October 1988 and Virat Kohli for 1,258 days," said Babar, who is sixth in the Test rankings and third in the T20I format.

"I have also previously topped the T20I rankings, but the ultimate ambition and goal is to lead the Test rankings, which are the real testament and reward to a batsman's calibre, reputation and skills.

"I understand to achieve this objective, I will not only have to perform consistently, but more importantly, against the top sides.

"I am looking forward to this challenge and remain confident I will be able to accomplish this target with the support of my team-mates and coaching staff."

Babar has played 80 ODIs, scoring 3,808 runs at an average of 56.83, a strike rate of 88.7, and with a highest score of 125 not out.

Stokes announced on Monday that Tuesday's clash against South Africa, which ended in a 62-run defeat for England, would be his last in 50-over internationals as he looks to prolong his career in other formats.

The England Test captain was unable to leave his mark on his final outing, finishing with 0-44 in his five overs with the ball and scoring just five with the bat.

Yet Stokes still finishes as one of just three players to score 2,500 or more runs and take 50-plus wickets in men's ODIs for England (2,924 runs, 74 wickets), alongside Paul Collingwood and Andrew Flintoff.

Those numbers are impressive but his World Cup-winning unbeaten 84 in the 50-over final against New Zealand before scoring eight in the Super Over will remain his crowning moment in the format.

Buttler, who batted alongside Stokes in that Super Over, was quick to recall his World Cup heroics as the white-ball captain thanked his team-mate for his relentless efforts on a consistent basis.

"From myself and all England fans, we want to say thank you for everything he has done in this form of the game," Buttler told BBC Test Match Special. 

"I know three years ago will live long in the memory but every day he turns up for this team, he puts in 100 per cent. He's been a fantastic ambassador for us in ODI cricket and we'll miss him."

Buttler suffered back-to-back series defeats against India in T20I and ODI cricket to start his captaincy, before losing the first of the three-match series against South Africa at Chester-le-Street.

The wicket-keeper batsman has passed 50 just once in his last seven white-ball outings and acknowledged it may take time for his new England side to adapt to life without former skipper Eoin Morgan.

"We just haven't quite played to our potential yet this summer. We are a different team at the minute," he added.

"There is a pretty inexperienced bowling attack with not loads of games under their belt and I think we're learning about those guys and about us a team.

"It certainly feels like a little bit of a changing of the times for us, it certainly feels that we need to rebuild from another point of view.

"We haven't quite found our rhythm in 50-over cricket as we have for a long period of time, but I'm sure it is not far away and it will feel like we're getting back to where we need to be.

"We've got fantastic players with an opportunity and other guys waiting in the wings to come back. I'm very confident in the team."

That was the message from new England white-ball coach Matthew Mott, who is also relishing the prospect of Adil Rashid returning after being granted leave to undertake the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

Buttler was appointed as ODI and T20I captain following the long-serving reign of Eoin Morgan, but started with back-to-back 2-1 defeats against India in white-ball cricket.

The wicket-keeper batter struggled in a bowler-dominated series against Rohit Sharma's side, passing 50 just once in six outings and failing to record double figures on three occasions.

Though Buttler seemed to regain some form with 60 in the third ODI defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday, Mott insists it will take time for his captain to become familiar with the role.

"I think his leadership has been a baptism of fire. I thought it was a gutsy knock [on Sunday] – a real captain's innings," Mott told reporters. 

"He was hit in the head a couple of times, he'd have been shaken up, but he showed a lot out there.

"Jos brings a nice calmness. He's a hugely empathetic person. He won't be someone who stands up and makes big speeches, he'll do it in his own quiet way, one-on-one, working out what makes players tick. And he's an amazing player – that helps."

Buttler has sizeable experience as vice-captain to Morgan, who retired from international cricket after scoring the most runs in both white-ball formats for England – 6,957 in 50 overs and 2,458 in T20.

Morgan also led England to dramatic Cricket World Cup success over New Zealand at Lord's in 2019, three years after guiding his side to the T20 World Cup final.

The former England captain has moved into TV punditry, working for Sky Sports, but Mott insists that Morgan's presence is not overshadowing Buttler's start to his new era.

"There's no doubt his legacy is huge, his leadership is renowned. But at the start it wasn't like that," Mott added. 

"He had his early struggles when the team wasn't firing as well. You get judged at the end of your tenure, not the start.

"[Morgan] developed that experience over six or seven years, making a few mistakes, learning, getting better. We know we've been off in a couple of departments and India made us pay heavily.

"I felt lucky Eoin went on that first trip to Holland – he showed me the ropes, how the team ticks. He'll be a great sounding board for both Jos and myself about what he's seen from the outside.

"He clearly loves the team. Now he's on the other side of the fence, he has a really good perspective and will give us some good feedback.”

England struggled without the presence of leg-spinner Rashid throughout the middle overs against India, whose leg-break bowler Yuzvendra Chahal regularly tormented the hosts' batters.

Only four players – James Anderson (269), Darren Gough (234), Stuart Broad (178) and Andrew Flintoff (168) – have taken more ODI wickets for England than Rashid (162), and Mott is glad to have the leg-spinner back for the three-match series against South Africa, which starts on Tuesday at Durham.

"We fully respect the reasons why [Rashid] wasn't here and I think it's great he’s made that journey," said Mott.

"But we'll definitely welcome him back with open arms. It will have freshened him up nicely as well."

Sam Curran starred with bat and ball, while Jason Roy top-scored with 132, which also proved to be the exact margin of victory as England posted 326-7 before bowling the hosts out for 194.

Curran followed 33 not out with 4-29, while Adil Rashid also took four wickets as the tourists seized an unassailable 2-0 series lead, ahead of the third match on Monday.

After a nail-biting three-wicket win in the series opener, also played in Mirpur, this second contest saw England go up a level, to the delight of captain Buttler.

It was their biggest victory margin, in terms of runs, in ODIs played in Asia.

"That was a fantastic series win," Buttler said. "Bangladesh are a formidable team at home, so we are delighted to get the series win.

"We spoke about ways we could improve from the last match and I thought we really did that. Jason Roy led fantastically well with the batting and guys chipped in around him, and then a fantastic start with the ball."

Buttler made 76 with the bat and Moeen Ali added 42, as Roy found plenty of strong support, with England winning a 50-over series after falling short in their most recent four attempts in the format.

"From one to 11, the guys stood up," Buttler said, "and I thought our standard and the intensity we played the game at was much higher than the first game and that's what we strive to get to.

"We've talked a lot in the dressing room about adapting to conditions and being a team that can play in a variety of ways. There are lots of guys putting their hands up and putting up great performances which is fantastic for the team."

Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal said Roy performed "exceptionally well", adding: "I am disappointed to lose the series. When you lose a game like this you can point a lot of fingers at a lot of people, but I'm not the kind of person who'll do that. We didn't do well as a team and that's why we lost.

"We'd like to finish the series on a high, it's very disappointing that we lost the series, but credit must go to England for the way they played."

Roy, whose century was his 12th for England in ODIs, spoke of how experience of playing in varying conditions throughout his career helped him get to grips with the pitch.

"I've spent a lot of time playing a lot of cricket in the subcontinent when i was younger, doing a lot of training camps," the 32-year-old opener said. "Today I had to dig deep with those skills and put it on the field.

"I needed to give myself an opportunity. In the first game I had a bit of a rush of blood and played a pretty poor shot against the spin. I wanted to make sure I batted time and gave myself the best opportunity to score runs and get a good score on the board for the team."