IPL match rescheduled as virus enters both its bio-bubbles
Rasesh Mandani and Abhishek Paul
The Indian Premier League (IPL) at its halfway mark was dealt a double jolt on Monday with its bio-secure bubbles in Ahmedabad and New Delhi, both currently staging matches, recording five Covid-19 positive cases.
The test results of two Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players forced the rescheduling of Monday’s contest between KKR and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad. Three non-playing members of Chennai Super
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Kings, including bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji, in Delhi too tested positive in Sunday’s RT-PCR tests. They remain in isolation and underwent repeat RT-PCR tests on Monday.
KKR bowlers Varun Chakravarthy and Sandip Warrier tested positive in Ahmedabad and are isolating from the rest of the squad, a statement by IPL said.
There were also reports that some groundsmen in New Delhi are down with Covid, even as Delhi association president Rohan Jaitley said he had no information of anyone “on duty” falling ill.
“KKR have now moved towards a daily testing routine to identify any other possible cases and treat them at the earliest,” the league said. Spinner Chakravarthy, it is learnt, visited an Ahmedabad hospital for a scan on his shoulder.
Other franchises though are concerned as positive cases have come inside the bio-bubble. IPL games will move from Ahmedabad and New Delhi with Bengaluru and Kolkata to stage games from May 9. Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals are also in Ahmedabad, besides RCB and KKR. Two more league matches are scheduled there on Thursday and Saturday.