PSL 2022: Wasim Akram, Wahab Riaz, Haider Ali test Covid-19 positive two days before tournament start
Karachi Kings(Photo by ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Karachi Kings’ president Wasim Akram and Peshawar Zalmi’s players Wahab Riaz and Haider Ali have tested positive for Covid-19. They all have quarantined themselves after receiving the positive report. This takes the total toll of positive cases to four as Kamran Akmal and Arshad Iqbal tested positive a few days back and were replaced by two players from the reserve list.
PCB has announced the guideline regarding a player replacement. According to the new guideline, the replacement will be temporary and the positive players can join the team once they receive negative PCR results. The PSL is to start on January 27 and the first match will be played between Karachi Kings and Multan Sultans. The Sultans won the last edition of the league after defeating Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs. It was the first win for the Sultans since they were established in 2017.
On January 21, PCB confirmed that three players and five members of the support staff from several franchises tested positive for Covid-19. PCB’s Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, who is also the director of the PSL, mentioned last Thursday that over 250 tests were conducted and only eight people tested positive.
“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 had said as quoted by The News.
Covid-19 protocol for PSL set by PCB
According to the latest advisory issued by PCB, each team can have 20 players in their squad. The board will allow a team to take part in a game even if up to eight players test positive for Covid-19. A match would be canceled if nine members of a squad test positive.
The board has also ensured to to keep 20 to 30 local players in a separate bio-secure bubble this year. If a player tests positive for Covid-19, they will have to isolate for ten days and the teams will be allowed to pick a substitute from the alternate bubble.
