The two had breached Covid-19 protocols and were required to serve a three-day quarantine and return two negative tests
The PCB has allowed Wahab Riaz and Daren Sammy to reintegrate with the Peshawar Zalmi set-up without completing the three-day quarantine period, as the board had announced earlier. The breach of Covid-19 protocols happened when the two met franchise owner Javed Afridi outside the team’s bio-security bubble.
Sammy, the coach of the team for the 2021 edition of the PSL, and Riaz, the team’s captain, were required to undergo the quarantine as well as return two negative tests within that timeframe before being allowed to be with their team-mates in accordance with the board’s protocols. The breach took place on Saturday, but the PCB allowed the two to return to the Zalmi fold after they assured the board that they would abide the tournament’s standard operating protocols going forward.
“The team has offered its regrets to the PCB on Friday’s breach and has thanked the PSL ETC for accepting their appeal,” the board said in a statement on Sunday. “They have further assured protocols will be followed and respected as everyone wants the PSL to succeed.”
The breach came three days after the PCB had briefed players, support staff and match officials to “religiously follow” all Covid-19 protocols. Each PSL franchise has its own Covid-19 compliance officer, who is responsible for testing, implementation of protocols, sanitisation, and players’ temperature checks. The whole process is bring regulated by the event doctor.
On Saturday, the PCB had said, “The PCB is disappointed that two members of one of the sides showed carelessness and violated the bio-secure bubble protocols by coming into contact with a person who was not part of the bubble. 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.”
More to follow…
Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent