In a huge boost for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), all the players, officials and administrators have tested negative for COVID-19. The CPL has announced that all the individuals related to the tournament have arrived in Trinidad and Tobago and that 162 people who traveled into the country have tested negative.
The CPL said the teams will now be kept in quarantine in the official hotel for 14 days and undergo regular testing. If anyone from in the group is found to have contracted the coronavirus they will be removed from the hotel and placed in further isolation. Players, coaches and support staff have traveled to the Caribbean from all parts of the cricket world.
“It has been a colossal effort by all involved to get everyone safely into Trinidad and Tobago,” tournament operations director Michael Hall said in a statement.
“Our main priority is the health and well-being of all those involved in CPL and the wider population in the host country, to have got through this first step without any cases is encouraging news, but we will remain vigilant,” he added.
CPL 2020 will be the first high-profile T20 tournament which will take place amid the pandemic. The competition will start on August 18 while the final will be played on September 10. The season will see a total of 33 games being played. The entire tournament will be played in Trinidad & Tobago, with all matches taking place across two stadiums in that country.
The Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba will host 23 games, including the semi finals and final, and the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain will have 10 matches. Last year’s runners-up Guyana Amazon Warriors will lock horns against Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL-opener. On the other hand, defending champions Barbados Tridents will take on the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the second match of the competition on the same day.