Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is considering cancelling the four-day side match with New Zealand, scheduled for December 10, due to the rising number of COVID-19 infections amongst the Pakistan cricket squad, PCB Director of Media and Communications Sami Ul Hassan told The Correspondent. The official decision on the matter will be taken tomorrow.
When asked about the future of Pakistan’s New Zealand tour Sami Ul Hassan said “PCB does not deal with hypotheticals, we are taking things one day at a time.”
This development comes after the New Zealand Health Ministry on Wednesday revealed that it had conducted swab tests for 46 Pakistan squad players who had previously returned negative test results for COVID-19. Out of these, 42 came back negative again, one new infection was confirmed, while three cases were “under investigation to determine whether they are historical cases.” This brings the number of infected players among the Pakistan squad to eight.
The update, posted on New Zealand Health Ministry’s official website, also stated that “Pakistan cricket team is not allowed to train until the Canterbury DHB Medical officer of health determines they are satisfied that any training activity is unlikely to transmit COVID-19.”
Earlier, local media said that Waseem Khan CEO of PCB had reportedly emailed the New Zealand cricket inquiring about the mental health of Pakistan team players amid the uncertainty caused by rising infections, and suggesting that they cancel the four-day side match since the squad has been unable to train.
