Just ahead of the start of the sixth season, the Pakistan Super League was hit by coronavirus. While Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz and coach Daren Sammy were asked to quarantine after they allegedly breached the COVID-19 protocols by meeting someone outside the team’s biosecure bubble, a Lahore Qalandars player tested positive for the virus with symptoms and has been put into isolation for 10 days. 

Also Read: Glittery start to Pakistan Super League 6, Atif Aslam among key performers

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said in their statement, “A player from a franchise team who had shown symptoms and was in isolation has tested positive.”

Also Read: Where can I watch Pakistan Super League (PSL) in India?

Team Zalmi are set to play against the Qalandars in their first match. Without a captain, team Zalmi is in a tough spot. They are currently in the process of choosing the stand-in captain. It is said that Shoaib Malik could be a contender but nothing is confirmed yet.  

“As reiterated previously, the health and safety of all individuals associated with Pakistan Super League 6 is of paramount importance to the PCB and the event. All players, player support personnel, match officials and family members are once again reminded to diligently follow the PCB Covid-19 Protocols as the PCB will not allow anyone to affect the integrity and credibility of the tournament,” the PCL said in their statement. 

The breach comes three days after the PCB briefed the staff, players and match officials to “religiously follow” COVID-19 safety guidelines. Despite every PSL franchise has its own COVID-19 Compliance Officer responsible for the implementation of protocols, testing, sanitisation, and players’ temperature checks, players have still tested positive. 

Both Wahab and Sammy would be required to test negative for COVID-19 twice before they can be permitted to re-enter the bio-secure bubble.