PSL postponed due to rising number of coronavirus cases

KARACHI: The Pakistan Super League (PSL) has been postponed with immediate effect due to the rising number of coronavirus cases.

The decision was made after a meeting between the organizing committee with the team owners. It was decided to postpone the PSL considering that the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount.

The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition which started on February 20. The PCB, as an immediate step, 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.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that three more players playing of two different teams in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) have tested positive for the coronavirus.

According to a statement, the three players were not part of the sides that featured in the double-header on Wednesday which featured the Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars squads. The players were tested in the afternoon after showing symptoms and will now self-isolate for ten days.

On Tuesday, the PSL match between Islamabad United and the Quetta Gladiators went ahead as per schedule despite a player testing positive for the virus.

PCB’s Media Director Sami Burni had said two foreign players and one support staff have tested positive after the board conducted 244 PCR tests. He said that all three players had been isolated from the rest and were being quarantined on a different floor on the hotel.

The PCB media director shared that Australian cricketer Fawad Ahmed, who tested positive for the virus a day earlier, will undergo “a repeat test”. He said that all other people who are in the bio-secure bubble will be retested for the virus on Thursday.

He said that more than 300 people are in the bio-secure bubble at the moment including players, officials, support staff, franchise owners and security officials. He added that rapid tests of the broadcast crew and the staff of the National Stadium had also been conducted.