Pakistan Cricket Board to send a massive contingent of 30 players for tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced Pakistan to send a massive contingent for the side’s tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe. As many as 30 players will be sent by Pakistan for these two tours. Also, news has come in that all the players would be touring on a special chartered flight because more than half a dozen players as well as support staff tested positive for Covid 19 when Pakistan toured New Zealand in December last year.

Pakistan is scheduled to tour South Africa in the month of April and play 3 ODIs and 4 T20Is. Centurion and Johannesburg are the 2 venues that will host the entire limited overs series. On the other hand, Pakistan will play a couple of Test matches and 3 T20Is against Zimbabwe after the tour of South Africa.

In fact, a source has stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have already had talks with the South African board regarding how the players would be quarantined in a bio bubble. The Board also reportedly wants to avoid any hassles with Covid-19 protocols.

“The PCB has held talks with the South African board over how the extra players would be managed in a bio secure bubble in South Africa as the board wants them to be with the team from the start for the Test series in Zimbabwe to avoid any hassles over Covid-19 protocols,” said the source as quoted by Times Now.

Pakistan will leave to South Africa on 27^th March 2021

The source further revealed that the Pakistan side will depart to South Africa on 27^th March 2021.Till then, the players will be practicing and training at the performance center in Lahore. Also, before departing to the land of the Proteas, the Pakistan outfit will take a series of Covid-19 tests in Lahore and then board the chartered flight.

“The players and support staff will all undergo isolation periods and continuous COVID-19 tests in Lahore before they take the chartered flight,” added the source.

In fact, England’s tour to South Africa in December was cut short due to Covid-19 after it was revealed that a few positive cases were reported from both the camps. The Pakistan side has been in excellent form in ODI cricket. The ‘Men in Green’ have won 8 out of the last 9 matches that they have played. They will be hoping that they can continue their impressive run when they lock horns against the Proteas next month.