Pakistan suspends Twenty20 event after seven test positive
THE Pakistan Super League was suspended last Thursday (4) after seven players tested positive for Covid, the cricket board said.
The Twenty20 competition, which started on February 20, was put on hold “with immediate effect”, a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) statement said.
“The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition,” the PCB said.
The PCB “will focus on the safe and secure passage of all participants, and arrange repeat PCR tests, vaccines and isolation facilities to the six participating sides”, it added. The seven players included Australian spinner Fawad Ahmed, England’s Tom Banton and Mohammad Faizan, who represents Lahore.
Australian all-rounder Daniel Christian withdrew from the competition over fears of catching the virus and planned to fly out on Thursday (4). “It’s a tough day for Pakistan cricket,” the PCB’s chief executive Wasim Khan told a press conference. “We will try to find a window to complete the remaining matches before the end of the year.”
The coronavirus has proved yet another hurdle for the League, which is now in its sixth edition but was held entirely in Pakistan for the first time last year.
Previous editions were hosted wholly or partially by the UAE over security fears following the deadly 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore. Last year, three playoffs and the final were cancelled after England’s Alex Hales showed coronavirus symptoms.