Cricket West Indies (CWI) have said that Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase, Kyle Mayers and a non-coaching member of the team management have returned positive results in the Covid-19 tests conducted upon arrival in Pakistan. All other members of the touring party have returned two negative RT-PCR tests since their arrival in Karachi.
All the three players who have tested positive are fully vaccinated and without “major” symptoms, the CWI further said. They will, though, be unavailable for the upcoming series against Pakistan and undergo a period of self-isolation for 10 days and until they return negative RT-PCR test results.
“Our arrival testing protocols in Pakistan have confirmed four Covid-19 positives,” Johnny Grave, CEO of CWI, said. “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.”
