Tag: Bio-secure Bubble Breach

  • Haider Ali and Umaid Asif suspended from PSL final for violating bio-secure bubble

    Haider Ali and Umaid Asif suspended from PSL final for violating bio-secure bubble

    Peshawar Zalmi’s Haider Ali and Umaid Asif have been suspended from Pakistan Super League (PSL) final against Multan Sultans in Abu Dhabi after the duo admitted to charges of violating the tournament’s health and safety protocols by meeting people from outside their bio-secure bubbles. They also failed to maintain the prescribed social distancing.

    A press release from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that the incident occurred on Wednesday and the decision to withdraw the two players was taken on the morning of the final by the tournament’s Covid-19 management panel comprising PCB chief operating officer Barrister Salman Naseer and Director-Commercial and PSL 6 head Babar Hamid.

    “The two cricketers were found not to have interacted with any other squad members at any time after the incident and have been placed in room isolation,” the PCB said.

    For the same reason, Ali has also been withdrawn from the upcoming tours of England and the West Indies and replaced by Sohaib Maqsood.

    Earlier in March, PCB had reportedly allowed Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy to reintegrate with the Peshawar Zalmi team without completing the three-day quarantine period after the two had allegedly breached COVID-19 protocols before the postponement of PSL6. The violation took place when the two met franchise owner Javed Afridi outside the team’s bio-security bubble. Similarly, Naseem Shah was ruled out of PSL after he broke COVID-19 protocols but later when his test was clear and accepting his mistake, he was allowed to join the rest of the team in Abu Dhabi.

    Meanwhile, Sultans, who made it to the finals for the first time, will face the four-time finalists Zalmis on Wednesday at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

  • Naseem Shah upset after being ruled out of PSL for COVID-19 protocol breach

    Naseem Shah upset after being ruled out of PSL for COVID-19 protocol breach

    Right-arm fast bowler Naseem Abbas Shah is upset after being ruled out of Pakistan Super League (PSL) sixth edition’s remaining matches in Abu Dhabi after he broke COVID-19 protocols.

    “I cannot express in words how I feel right now,” said Naseem in a tweet on Monday, voicing his sorrow after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decided to drop him from the remaining PSL matches being played in Abu Dhabi from June 5.

    “I want to play cricket as it [playing cricket] is my life.”

    In his heartfelt note on social media, the speedster said he has worked very hard as he was excited about the PSL matches.

    “I followed all instructions conveyed to us through the group,” said Naseem. “I do not know how I missed that particular message.”

    Naseem also remembered his mother who passed away in 2019 when the pacer was on a tour in Australia.

    Concluding his message with a prayer, Shah said: “Allah will make me strong. I will make a comeback.”

    As per details, Naseem, along with all those traveling onboard the chartered flights from Karachi and Lahore to the UAE, was directed to submit the negative reports of PCR tests taken not more than 48 hours prior to arrival at the hotel on May 24.

    However, the report Naseem presented was of the test that was conducted on May 18. On the recommendation of the independent Medical Advisory Panel for PSL, the pacer was dropped out from the lineup flying to Abu Dhabi.

    Director Commercial and Head of PSL6 Babar Hamid, in a statement, said: “The PCB doesn’t take any pride in releasing a young fast bowler from its marquee event but if we will ignore this breach, then we will potentially put at risk the entire event.”

    “We appreciate the Quetta Gladiators for accepting this decision as it confirms we are all aligned to strictly following and implementing the protocols.”

    He said the board would not compromise on the COVID-19 SOPs as it was about the health of all the team members.

    “This decision will also send out a loud and clear message to all involved in the remaining matches that the PCB will not compromise on any violations and will expel the player or player support personnel irrespective of his stature and standing in the game if they are found to be flouting the prescribed protocols or regulations,” noted Hamid.

    “All participating in the tournament must understand that these protocols have been put in place for the health and safety of all involved as well for the integrity and credibility of the event and the PCB.”

    “As such, the onus is on them to ensure these are followed in its true letter and spirit and without exception,” he added.

    Earlier in March, PCB had reportedly allowed Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy to reintegrate with the Peshawar Zalmi team without completing the three-day quarantine period after the two had allegedly breached COVID-19 protocols before the postponement of PSL6. The violation took place when the two met franchise owner Javed Afridi outside the team’s bio-security bubble.

  • Sharma, Pant others being investigated for possible bubble breach

    Sharma, Pant others being investigated for possible bubble breach

    Five members of the touring Indian team in Australia could be part of an investigation after being involved in a potential bio-bubble breach reportedly while interacting with a fan at a Melbourne restaurant on January 1.

    Cricket Australia issued a statement saying that “they were alerted to a video post” of five players – Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini eating at an indoor venue, and that they are investigating the incident along with BCCI to determine a potential breach. In the meantime, as a precautionary measure, the players have been placed under isolation.

    On Friday, tweets by a fan went viral on social media, where he posted a video of the players enjoying a meal in Melbourne. Subsequent tweets by the individual mentioned that he had paid the bill on behalf of the players, following which Sharma interacted with him and Pant “hugged” him, and the team members posed for a photograph.

    While the fan earned plenty of support for his gesture on Twitter, and the story earned considerable traction on Indian media, there were concerns surrounding the safety of the players at a time when the teams have been placed in strict bio-secure bubbles due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

    Soon after reports of the possible breach came to light, the fan seemingly issued a clarification on social media, stating that Pant had not hugged him as tweeted earlier “as it was all said in excitement”, and insisted that there was “social distance maintained all through”.

    Concerns around player safety are serious particularly in Sydney, the venue of the third Test of the ongoing series. With the recent surge in Covid-19 cases in Sydney, there were reports that Melbourne, the venue of the second Test, could host the third Test as well. However, after negotiations between Cricket Australia and authorities in Queensland and New South Wales, Sydney Cricket Ground was retained as the venue for the third game of the series, currently tied 1-1.

    Meanwhile, according to Indian media, the Indian team management believes that the five players were indeed sitting outdoors as is allowed by protocols. They moved indoors only after there was a drizzle. The board is clear that the players did not do any activity that breaches the bio-secure bubble protocols.