After the emergence of five more Covid-19 positive cases in the West Indies camp in Karachi on Thursday, the upcoming three-match ODI series between the two sides, which was scheduled to begin from December 18, has been pushed forward to June next year, the Pakistan Cricket board (PCB) and West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced in a joint statement.
Issuing the statement, the two boards said: “On Thursday morning and as part of the PCB COVID-19 Protocols, Rapid Antigen tests were conducted on the remaining 15 West Indies players and six player support personnel. All 21 members of the West Indies touring party have returned negative test result. As such, Thursday’s T20 International (T20I) proceeded as planned.”
“However, taking into consideration both the teams’ welfare as well as limited resources in the West Indies side for the ODIs, it has been agreed that the series, which forms part of the ICC Men’s Cricket Word Cup Super League, will be postponed and rescheduled for early June 2022,” it added.
After the postponement of the series, the touring party, who had returned negative results following Wednesday’s PCR and today’s Rapid Antigen tests, will depart from Pakistan after Thursday’s last T2OI match while those who had tested positive will complete their isolation in Karachi before their travel arrangements are finalised.
Earlier on Thursday, West indies team Physician Dr. Akshai Mansingh, Assistant Coach Roddy Estwick and players Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein and Justin Greaves had tested positive for the deadly virus and the development took the total of positive cases in the West Indies camp to nine since their arrival in Pakistan.
“All three players will therefore miss the upcoming matches and all five individuals will remain isolated from the rest of the West Indies squad and are now under the care and supervision provided by the medical officials. They will remain in isolation for ten (10) days or until they return negative PCR test results,” the CWI had said in a statement.
Hosts Pakistan is currently leading the three-match T20I series 2-0 after winning the first and second affair by 63 and nine runs respectively.