Pakistan Tremendous League suspended after seven gamers check optimistic for the coronavirus, the nation’s cricket board says.
Pakistan has suspended its flagship Twenty20 (T20) cricket match that began final month after seven group personnel examined optimistic for COVID-19, the cricket board mentioned.
Groups competing within the nation’s highest profile sporting occasion, by which worldwide gamers additionally take part, have been all current within the southern metropolis of Karachi, the place matches have been being performed.
“The well being and wellbeing of all contributors is paramount,” a cricket board assertion mentioned on Thursday.
The choice to droop the HBL Pakistan Tremendous League (PSL) 6 with speedy impact was made following a gathering with the group house owners, it mentioned.
The choice was made after seven circumstances have been reported within the competitors, which began on February 20. Officers didn’t instantly give a resumption date.
A Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official instructed Reuters information company that three worldwide gamers have been among the many seven who examined optimistic.
The seven gamers included Australian spinner Fawad Ahmed, England’s Tom Banton and Mohammad Faizan, who represents Lahore.
Australian all-rounder Daniel Christian withdrew from the competitors over fears of catching the virus and deliberate to fly out on Thursday.
The coronavirus has proved one more hurdle for the PSL, which is now in its sixth version however was held solely in Pakistan for simply the primary time final 12 months.
Earlier editions have been hosted wholly or partially by the United Arab Emirates over safety fears following the lethal 2009 assault on the Sri Lanka group bus in Lahore.
Final 12 months, three playoffs and the ultimate have been cancelled after England’s Alex Hales confirmed signs of COVID-19. The video games have been rescheduled to November and held behind closed doorways, when Karachi Kings gained the title.
Authorities final week allowed the PSL match to extend crowd sizes from 20 % to 50 % stadium capability.
Pakistan has thus far recorded 585,435 circumstances of COVID-19 and greater than 13,000 deaths. The final two days have seen at the very least 130 deaths, in keeping with authorities knowledge.
The nation imposed a lockdown just for a couple of weeks after the primary COVID-19 case was detected in March final 12 months, and has progressively lifted the few restrictions it had in place since then.