Published 22:00 IST, June 26th 2020
Pakistan team to reach UK on June 28 amid COVID threat, to be isolated for 14 days
The Pakistan team will begin their 14-day isolation period at Blackfinch New Road, Worcester as they arrive in the United Kingdom on June 28
Despite Pakistan's 10 players testing COVID-19 positive, their tour of England is set to go ahead as the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that the Men in Green will arrive in the United Kingdom on June 28. The Pakistan team will begin their 14-day isolation period at Blackfinch New Road, Worcester soon after their arrival. With the second round of COVID-19 test results of Pakistan team set to be announced on Saturday, the team will undergo another round of testing after landing in the UK. Meanwhile, the entire 30-man English squad has tested COVID-19 negative and have begun preparations.
After completing their 14-day isolation period, the Men in Green will move on to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground on Monday 13 July to accelerate their preparation ahead of the first Test, which will include two four-day internal warm-up matches. Only those players who test negative after arriving in England on Sunday will be allowed to proceed ahead with the squad. The behind-closed-doors schedule for these fixtures will be announced in due course.
10 Pakistan players test COVID positive
The PCB on Tuesday confirmed that 7 players including Mohammad Hafeez, Wahab Riaz, Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hasnain, and Mohammad Rizwan have tested positive. Apart from these, 3 players - Haider Ali, speedster Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan - had also tested positive for COVID-19. Team's masseur, Malang Ali has also tested positive while Shoaib Malik, Cliffe Deacon, and Waqar Younis are yet to be tested.
The PCB has also announced a set of reserve players in case a player from the main squad tests COVID positive. The players who have tested negative will assemble in Lahore on June 24 and undergo the second round of testing on June 25. The team will again be tested within 24 hours of arriving in the UK by the ECB medical panel.
Pakistan tour of England 2020
The 1992 World Cup winners will be touring England for a three-match Test series that will be followed by a three-match T20I series from July 30 to September 2, 2020. Meanwhile, the PCB also announced that spin legend Mushtaq Ahmed has been named as the bowling coach for the upcoming tour while former captain as well as batting great Younis Khan has been appointed as the batting coach.
Image Credits: AP
Updated 22:00 IST, June 26th 2020