The women’s cricket World Cup is to start on Friday (March 4) in New Zealand minus Sri Lanka that failed to qualify.
On Thursday it was announced that teams could fulfil World Cup fixtures if they have nine fit players.
Each of the eight teams in the tournament has a squad of 15 players, with a maximum of three travelling reserves.
If they do not have 11 players available, they will be given the option to field nine, which stronger nations like Australia and England might take if they are playing a weaker side like Bangladesh in the 50-over competition.
All teams can also use female members of their backroom staff as fielding substitutes.
“People are desperate to get the tournament on. If something goes badly wrong with Covid, it’s not an ideal situation and hopefully it never happens,” said England captain Heather Knight.
“It’s probably unlikely it will be a Covid-free World Cup, but that is the hope.”
England begin the defence of the title they won in 2017 against Australia in Hamilton on March 5.
Before then they play warm-up matches against Bangladesh and South Africa on Monday and Wednesday respectively, both in Lincoln.