Three West Indies players test positive for coronavirus

KARACHI: The pandemic has struck again. Three visiting West Indian cricketers and a member of the team staff have tested positive for Covid-19 on the eve of their first Twenty20 International against hosts Pakistan here at the National Stadium.

Late on Saturday night, Cricket West Indies confirmed that three players and a staff member had tested positive for coronavirus after landing in Karachi and will miss the three-match T20I series.

Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell, all-rounders Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers and a non-coaching staff member “returned positive tests in Karachi and will therefore be unavailable to participate in the upcoming Pakistan series,” CWI said in a statement.

All four had been fully vaccinated and are without major symptoms. They will remain in isolation for 10 days and until they return negative PCR test results.

“Our arrival testing protocols in Pakistan have confirmed four Covid-19 positives,” said CWI chief executive Johnny Grave.

Grave, however, made it clear that despite the positive tests, the West Indian team’s tour of Pakistan will not be affected.

“These were confirmed whilst the players and staff were still in room isolation, so despite this significant setback to our preparation plans, we are confident that the tour can continue as everyone else returned negative PCRs prior to their arrival into Pakistan and two negative PCRs since they have been in Karachi.

“The risk of Covid-19 infection is impossible to remove completely from a cricket tour, in spite of the fact that many of our players have been living in bio-secure bubbles almost continuously since before the CPL.

“This unusual loss of three players from our squad will seriously impact our team preparations, but the rest of the squad are in good spirits and will begin training today ahead of our first game on Monday.”

Cottrell, Chase and Mayers were all included in the squad for a three-match T20I series starting today (Monday). Chase was also selected for the three One-day Internationals that follow in Karachi between December 18 and 22.