Umpire Michael Gough serves six-day suspension for bubble breach

Michael Gough, the English umpire, had to be suspended from his duties at the ongoing T20 World Cup for a six-day period starting October 28 following "a breach of the event bio-security protocols".

The sanction from the ICC came after Gough is understood to have left his hotel without permission and went outside the tournament's bio-bubble. He has already missed one game as a result, the October 31 fixture between India and New Zealand in Dubai, when South African Marais Erasmus stood in for Gough.

"The bio-security advisory committee has instructed umpire Michael Gough to isolate for six days due to a breach of the event bio-security protocols," an ICC spokesperson told Cricday.

Gough was subsequently tested for signs of Covid-19 on the second, fourth and sixth days - after October 28 - and is understood to have returned negative results on the first two days. The third test is scheduled for today, November 2, and if he tests negative again, he will be allowed to return to work.

Gough's next game is scheduled for November 4, between Sri Lanka and West Indies in Abu Dhabi.

He had been slotted to officiate in two games during the warm-up phase prior to the tournament, two games in the first round and eight games during the Super 12s. Four of those games - Australia vs South Africa on October 23 in Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi on October 24, Afghanistan vs Scotland on October 25 in Sharjah, and Pakistan vs New Zealand on October 26 in Sharjah - had been completed before the breach.

Gough has two more games marked against his name in the group phase after the November 4 assignment: Australia vs West Indies in Abu Dhabi on November 6, and Afghanistan vs New Zealand, also in Abu Dhabi, on November 7.

The umpires for the knockouts - two semi-finals and one final - haven't been announced yet.