Pakistan cricket squad’s another member has tested positive for coronavirus, as confirmed by the Health Ministry of New Zealand on Wednesday. The recent COVID-19 positive case takes the total number of cases in the touring team to New Zealand to eight.
On Tuesday, the Health Ministry of New Zealand confirmed that swabs were taken from as many as 46 members of the touring cricket squad in Christchurch.
Pakistan Will Play 3 T20Is And 2 Tests In New Zealand Tour
Pakistan and New Zealand will play against each other in 3 T20I and 2 Test starting on December 18. The Asian country had initially chosen 35 member squad for the tour, but the squad length was down to 34 after Fakhar Zaman was ruled out due to fever.
“Of those, 42 have subsequently returned a further negative test result. Three are under investigation to determine whether they are historical cases, and one test result is pending,” the Health Ministry of New Zealand had said.
The player, who tested positive, is one of the three cases reported as under investigation. The Health Ministry of New Zealand said that the other two cases remain under investigation.
“There is one new case of COVID-19 to report in managed isolation in New Zealand today. There are no new community cases. This person is a member of the Pakistan cricket squad and was one of the three cases reported as under investigation yesterday. They have now been confirmed to have an active COVID-19 infection. The two other cases remain under investigation,” the Health Ministry of New Zealand said.
Of the eight positive cases in the 54 member touring party, two are historic or non-infectious. They are observing the isolation period as the other members of the squad who have tested negative. Another set of tests are planned on Day 9, and those who return negative may train in isolation, subject to final approval from the New Zealand health ministry.
Pakistan Team Not Allowed To Train Until Health Official Allows Them
Following Day 12 tests, those in squad clearing the 14-day health check will leave isolation facility. The Pakistan players were guilty of breaching protocols by sharing food, meeting in hallways and seen without masks and were subsequently warned.
The statement added that the Pakistan team is not allowed to train until the Canterbury DHB medical officer of health determines they are satisfied that any training activities are unlikely to transmit COVID-19.
Pakistan are slated to play three T20Is starting from December 18 and on December 20, and 22, at Auckland, Hamilton and Napier respectively and the ICC World Test Championship fixtures will be held in Mount Maunganui and Christchurch on December 26-30 and January 3-7, respectively.
Starting from December 10, Pakistan A will play two four day games against New Zealand A. Babar Azam will captain Pakistan and the team includes Azhar Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi and Wahab Riaz. Still, the likes of Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Amir are not included.