PCB likely to revise Covid-19 testing policy ahead of England tour

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The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is likely to revise its novel coronavirus (Covid-19) policy, for players who have tested positive.

According to ESPNcricinfo, PCB is thinking on the lines of allowing players to depart for England after returning one negative test as opposed to two — according to the policy stated earlier.

The PCB’s Medical and Sports Sciences head Dr. Sohail Saleem has already sought opinion of various sporting and medical experts before taking a final decision on the matter.

The players who have tested positive will got through another round of testing on Friday, June 26 and finally on Monday, June 29. But even if all those players test negative, they won’t be able to depart for the tour of England as the chartered flight is set to leave on Sunday, June 28.

This is precisely the reason why, PCB is keen on giving players a clean chit after returning just one negative test.

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It must be noted that, earlier, the players and player support personnel, who have tested positive in pre-departure testing, were supposed to observe self-isolation in their homes and remain under strict monitoring of the PCB medical panel.

After completing their minimum quarantine period, they would have gone through further testing and after their two tests are negative, they would have been flown to England on a commercial airline.

Following the announcement on Monday that three players had tested positive for Covid-19, the PCB on Tuesday confirmed that a further seven players and a player support personnel from a total of 35 have tested positive for Covid-19.

Players who have tested positive:

Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, Wahab Riaz, Haider Ali, Shadab Khan and Haris Rauf.

Player Support Personnel, who has tested positive:

Malang Ali (masseur)