SA stay put, to fly out of Kolkata

LUCKNOW: The ODI series against India deferred due to the coronavirus pandemic, South Africa have decided to stay here and will now fly out of Kolkata.

The teams reached here on Friday after the ODI in Dharamshala was washed out. The decision to defer the series came minutes after they had landed.

“Our view is that this decision is both necessary and a precaution that had to be taken in the interest of cricket and the sustainability of the game. We are monitoring the situation with the virus and are in constant consultation with medical and virology experts. We will apply our minds to the input of experts and act in a way that reflects our duty of caring for our players,” acting chief executive officer of CSA, Dr Jacques Faul had said.

India players left for home on Saturday but Quinton de Kock’s team hasn’t checked out yet.

According to an official of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), the players have mostly stayed in their rooms though on Saturday, some hit the pool and others took a walk on the lawn. Faf du Plessis got his bat repaired, said the official requesting anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media. Social distancing being the recommended way to combat the spread of the virus, the players have refused selfies and autographs to the hotel staff, said the official.

South Africa will leave for Kolkata on Monday from where they will fly to Dubai. “The team is still in Lucknow (safe city) and will travel to Kolkata tomorrow from where they will travel to SA,” read a post by a Cricket South Africa (CSA) media officer on a journalists’ Whatsapp group. The team will be put up at a hotel near the airport in Kolkata. “The South Africans chose to stay in Lucknow as they felt safe here. They had options to go to Delhi and stay there before leaving for South Africa but they refused,” said the UPCA official.