West Indies tour of Pakistan in doubt as 5 more members of touring party test positive for COVID-19
In more COVID-19 trouble for the West Indies team touring Pakistan, five more members of the visiting contingent have returned positive tests and will now undergo a period of self-isolation.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed the same following PCR tests administered on Wednesday. Three players - wicketkeeper-batter Shai Hope, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and all-rounder Justin Greaves - along with assistant coach Roddy Estwick, and team physician Dr Akshai Mansingh tested positive for COVID-19.
An official CWI release stated that all three affected players will miss the remaining games of the tour. CWI’s statement read:
“All three players will therefore miss the upcoming matches and all five individuals will remain isolated from the rest of the West Indies squad and are now under the care and supervision provided by the medical officials. They will remain in isolation for ten (10) days or until they return negative PCR test results.”
The statement added that CWI and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials will be meeting on Thursday morning to decide the fate of the tour. The CWI release mentioned:
“With a total of six players now ruled out of the tour due to COVID-19 and a finger injury to Devon Thomas (sustained in the 1st T20I), CWI and PCB Officials will be meeting on Thursday morning, once all members of the touring party have been tested again, to determine whether the tour can continue.”
A further five members of the West Indies touring party have tested positive for COVID-19 | More below: bit.ly/3p0IQoS
Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers were earlier ruled out of the Pakistan series after testing COVID-19 positive. The trio returned positive results in the initial tests conducted after the West Indies squad’s arrival in Karachi on December 9.
Pakistan beat West Indies in the first two T20Is
ABSOLUTELY SENSATIONAL!
Our fielders especially @AasifAli2018 @FakharZamanLive and @HarisRauf14 delivered a catching masterclass in the second T20I, which one of these three catches is your favourite?
#PAKvWI
#HumTouKhelainGey https://t.co/Ifdp7uzAsp
Pakistan have won both matches of the T20I series played so far against West Indies. The hosts tasted victory by 63 runs in the first T20I. Batting first, they posted 200 for 6 on the back of Mohammad Rizwan’s 78 and Haider Ali’s 68. West Indies managed only 137 in response.
West Indies went down by nine runs in the second T20I. Chasing 173, they were all out for 163 despite Brandon King’s 43-ball 67.