6 Pakistani cricketers tested positive for COVID-19 on NZ tour

Christchurch:Six members of Pakistan's touring side in New Zealand have tested positive for COVID-19, New Zealand Cricket confirmed on Thursday.Tests were conducted on the Pakistan touring contingent as they arrived in New Zealand on November 24. 

"Two of these six results have been deemed "historical"; four have been confirmed as new," NZC said in a statement. "This means that, in line with the protocols governing the squad's entry into New Zealand, the six members of the squad will be moved to the quarantine arm of the managed isolation facility,'' it added.

The Pakistan squad is serving a mandatory 14-day quarantine period as per COVID-19 protocol.NZC also conveyed that the Pakistan team had contravened protocols on the very first day of their quarantine in the isolation facility. 

The board said that it ''will be having discussions with the tourists to assist them inunderstanding the requirements.''However, it is not clear at this stage if the six who tested positive are players, staff members or others in the touring party. 

All members of the Pakistan touring squad were tested on four occasions before leaving Lahore and had returned negative results. They left Fakhar Zaman out of the tour as a precautionary measure after he was down with fever before the departure.

The Pakistan team were exempted to train in the managed isolation facility but that has currently been put on hold till investigations have been completed. 

The tour was originally set to begin with the T20I series, which was scheduled to start on December 18 in Auckland. Two Tests in Mount Maunganui (December 26-30) and Christchurch (January 3-7) were scheduled post that. (UNI)