Pakistan cricket team to use Charter to Zimbabwe

ISLAMABAD —The Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to send its entire cricket contingent for tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe in March-April by a special chartered flight to avoid any COVID-19 complications.

“The board is working on this option because the consensus is that sending so many players and officials on a commercial flight to Africa could be risky,” a source in the board said.

He also disclosed that the selectors would be picking players for the Tests, ODI and T20Is for both tours and they will return home together.

Pakistan is due to tour South Africa from late March to play ODIs and T20 Internationals in Johannesburg and Centurion and later fly to Harare for a Test and ODI series against Zimbabwe.

“The experience we had while sending the players and officials on a commercial flight to New Zealand was not a good one and the team had to face many problems because of this after landing in Auckland. That is why we are now working on a plan to send them via a chartered flight.”

The source said a chartered flight would also be used to fly the team from South Africa to Zimbabwe and while returning home.

As many as 10 Pakistani players tested positive for COVID-19 after landing in Auckland and had to spend 14 days in total quarantine in Christchurch instead of the originally planned three-day isolation.

The Pakistan board had also got the ECB to arrange for a chartered flight to fly the team from Lahore to London last year.

Meanwhile, Pakistan cricketers will receive COVID-19 vaccination jabs before their departure to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

PCB has approached the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for the vaccination of leading players including those playing on the national circuit.

“It is believed that all the cricketers will be vaccinated for COVID-19 by the third week of March. Those leaving for South Africa and Zimbabwe will receive a jab before their departure on March 26. All others will also get the vaccination in the next six weeks,” a PCB official said.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani, who spoke to the media in Lahore, also confirmed that all national cricketers will be vaccinated.