Pakistan squad set for ‘normal life’ after initial quarantine period in NZ

Pakistan cricketers will have to face a small time in quarantine after which the players will be free to move around wherever they want, during the upcoming tour of New Zealand.

The players will undergo 14 days of quarantine after which they will be free to go around as they please. The players and support staff will spend three days alone in total isolation in Auckland, upon arrival, during which they will not be allowed to leave or meet each other.

A test will be conducted on the fourth day after which groups of 15 individuals will be made which will include both players and support staff members. Members of these groups will live in their own separate areas and will not be allowed to interact with individuals of other groups for the remainder of their quarantine periods.

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It should be noted that West Indies’ players had followed the same protocols during their recently concluded series. A breach in protocols had resulted in a longer quarantine period while their coach had to apologise for his team’s actions.

The Pakistan players will undergo coronavirus testing in Lahore on Saturday. A player or support staff member who tests positive will not be allowed to go on the tour. In the recent tour of England, players and support staff who had tested positive were later sent after a negative test. That will not be the case this time around.

After 11 days, another test will be conducted after which the players and support staff will be free to go wherever they please, unlike the England tour where all individuals were confined to a bio-secure bubble that comprised of the stadium and hotels.

The players do not have a session with the team’s mental health expert, despite reservations from some players, before their departure. Their families will also not accompany them on the tour.

The Pakistan squad is expected to depart for New Zealand on the 23rd of November at around 3 am.

The Coronavirus-free New Zealand is very strict in their policies. The New Zealand Cricket Board had also asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for earlier test results of the squads for a thorough assessment.

It must be noted that crowds are expected to appear for the upcoming encounters between the two sides.