New Zealand revokes the team’s ability to train in isolation, ahead of the NZ-Pak match series
By Moyurie Som | 4.45 p.m. Nov. 26
- Six Pakistani cricketers test COVID positive ahead of Pak-NZ T20I and test match series in New Zealand
- They can no longer train under isolation, according to New Zealand Cricket
Christchurch, New Zealand: New Zealand Cricket announced on Thursday that six players of Pakistan’s national cricket team tested positive for the coronavirus while in isolation in Christchurch.
The six COVID-positive players have been moved into quarantine.
“As a consequence, the Pakistan team’s exemption to train while in managed isolation has been put on hold until investigations have been completed,” New Zealand Cricket said.
Genius observation from @mehreenzahra: New Zealand has 60 active coronavirus cases. The Pakistan Cricket team had 6. Boys in green just raised New Zealand’s active cases by 10% in a day
— Amal Khan (@amalkhan) November 26, 2020
New Zealand’s Health Ministry added that “several team members have been seen on CCTV at the facility breaching managed isolation rules, despite clear, consistent and detailed communication of expected behaviours”, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Pakistan cricket team given “final warning” by New Zealand for flouting quarantine rules as six squad members test positive for Covid-19 https://t.co/8t84m51yyh pic.twitter.com/7t7JzzcThJ
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) November 26, 2020
The ministry also said that 54 players were screened for symptoms before their arrival in New Zealand. Upon arrival, they were tested for the virus. Out of the six positive results, the ministry said they believed two to be ‘historical’.
This comes ahead of the three T20Is between Pakistan and New Zealand scheduled to take place in Auckland on Dec. 18, 2020, along with a two-Test series between Dec. 26 and Jan. 7, 2021.
(With inputs from Al Jazeera)