Pakistan tour of England “a big risk” after three players test positive to COVID-19

By
Charbel Coorey
-
0
3 Pakistan players test positive to COVID-19

Last Updated on 5 years by Charbel Coorey

Pakistan tour of England in doubt as three players test positive to COVID-19 | Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Haider Ali test positive to COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to run rife throughout the globe, cricket, by its international nature, must always be alert to the dangers.

That is the case for the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director of sports medicine, Dr Sohail Saleem, who has labelled Pakistan’s tour of England as “a big risk”. Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Haider Ali all tested positive to COVID-19 in the past 48 hours, which has led to comprehensive measures to ensure the risk is minimised as much as possible.

“We can’t really say it’s not a risk”, said Dr Saleem.

“We are trying to build a new normal, redefining etiquette – respiratory marks, hand washing… It is a combination of many thing to make sure that we are keeping safe or reducing the risk factor to the minimum.”

Saleem then went on to point out the positives of cricket. “Cricket isn’t a contact sport. The only source (of contact) is the cricket ball. Two different analyses confirmed that the chances of transmitting the virus through sweat are less, while you cannot use saliva at all.”

Pakistan tour of England in doubt as three players test positive to COVID-19 | Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Haider Ali test positive to COVID-19
Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Haider Ali have tested positive to COVID-19

COVID-19 testing for Pakistan’s players and support staff

Pakistan players and support staff will need to undergo three rounds of COVID-19 testing before departing for the England tour, which begins in August. Once in England, all members of the touring party will be tested every five days.

The bio-secure environment, which will be in place for the upcoming England vs West Indies series, does provide some peace-of-mind that players and support staff will remain safe.

“Going forward, everyone will eventually have to adapt to the new procedures”, said Saleem. “I am told the West Indies team were also uncertain at the start, but the moment they got in the routine with training, they were fine.”

Pakistan tour of England in doubt as three players test positive to COVID-19 | Shadab Khan, Haris Rauf and Haider Ali test positive to COVID-19

Pakistan COVID-19 testing details

  • 28 players and 12 support staff were tested for COVID-19 between Sunday and Monday (except for Shoaib Malik, who will be travelling at a later date).
  • All who have tested negative will remain in isolation in a five-star hotel in Lahore. Those tested positive will also be in isolation, but with medical assistance.
  • Second round of testing on June 25. Those testing negative will board a chartered flight from Lahore to Manchester. Those who test positive can still join the squad, provided they fully recover 14 days later.
  • All squad members will be tested on arrival to England, and then every five days.

These are unprecedented circumstances. However, the resumption of sport, including the English Premier League, is cause for optimism.

“We have been monitoring the football in Europe, baseball in South Korea and now even the English Premier League has also started. So this is a big step for the resumption of cricket. People have been confined at home for over three months, the level of anxiety is increasing. Sport at least provides entertainment and can reduce anxiety. Like doctors fighting on the frontline, these sportsmen in a way are also serving the people”, said Saleem.

Pakistan’s tour of England, which contains three Tests and three T20Is, begins on July 30.

Also read: