Even before the start of the ongoing edition of the Pakistan Super League, there were questions raised about the bio-secure bubble arrangement by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the Peshawar Zalmi captain Wahab Riaz and head coach Darren Sammy were reported to have flouted the guidelines.
The Zalmi duo had met the franchise owner Javed Afridi out of the bubble and an infuriated PCB had to issue a reminder to players and support staff that it will not tolerate any actions that can ‘affect the integrity and credibility of the tournament.’
“The PCB is disappointed that two members of one of the sides showed carelessness and violated the bio-secure bubble protocols by coming into a contact with a person who was not part of the bubble. All players 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 PCB had said.
The words appeared hollow as later the PCB let off both Sammy and Riaz from the mandatory period of quarantine and the duo was allowed to come back to the bubble only on the basis of negative results.
In fact, Riaz was allowed to lead the Peshawar Zalmi side in their first game of the tournament and although he had tested negative for the novel coronavirus infection, a serious lapse in implementation of the protocols by the PCB can not be overlooked.
Even before the first ball was bowled in the tournament, the issue of Covid-19 risk must have been a pertinent one for the PCB as one yet to be identified player from the Lahore Qalandars had tested positive for the highly-contagious virus. According to a Dawn report, the player had shown some symptoms and was isolated from the rest of the squad.
There have been many reports claiming various episodes of bio-secure breaches by the players and support staff across franchises.
Reports have levied allegations that some players have been given a leeway to call their families in the team hotels while other reports have suggested that players and support staff have been ordering food from places outside of the bubble they have been residing in.
Another report has claimed that while players, along with support staff and match officials are travelling in and out of their bubbles to the grounds for matches, ground staff have been going to their homes seamlessly like before and that is jeopardising the integrity of bio-secure bubbles.
Now, another episode of players testing positive for the coronavirus infection has put a spotlight on the handling of bio-secure bubbles by the PCB. The PCB is asserting that they are unaware of any breaches that may have resulted in Fawad Ahmed contracting the virus, but the addition of three more players on the list of players to have tested positive has put the onus on the PCB and its Event Technical Committee for the PSL. In its latest statement, the board has said that out of 244 RT-PCR tests conducted after Fawad Ahmed’s positive result, three have returned positive results.
"We have a strict bio-secure bubble for all teams and we have regular testing and we have now even made it mandatory for all players and officials to have PCR tests every four days. But the fact is how Fawad Ahmed tested positive we don't know because no one can say for certain how he contracted the virus," a PCB spokesman said on the issue of the latest Covid-19 outbreak among PSL franchises.