KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday night confirmed that three cricketers and five members of the support staff from different franchises have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
In a statement, PCB’s Chief Operating Officer (CCO) Salman Naseer, who is also the tournament director of PSL, said that over 250 tests were conducted since Thursday and only eight people tested positive, including three players and five support staff members.
“As per latest results received, in over 250 tests conducted since Thursday, three players and five support staff members have tested positive and have been isolated,” Naseer said.
These tests, according to another official, were conducted at the time of the hotel check-in and all players and staffers were negative 48 hours prior to their arrival at the hotel.
The statement said that the players and officials who had tested negative have entered the biosecure bubble and they’ll be allowed to resume training from January 24 – after completing the isolation period and receiving two negative COVID-19 testing results.
Franchise players and player support personnel continue to check in at the designated hotel after testing negative during pre-arrival testing.
Naseer added that the PCB, as a precautionary measure, had started pre-emptive testing of hotel and PCB staff from January 14. He said that the hotel and other support staff that had tested positive were released and are now isolated at their homes.
He said: “The PCB remains committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all participants so that they can play and perform to the best of their abilities.”
“In the environment that we presently live in, there will be positive cases but we have robust health and safety plans to ensure the event is played and concluded within the duration of January 27 to February 27,” the statement concluded.
