Amol Karhadkar
MUMBAI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has moved Wednesday’s Indian Premier League (IPL) game between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings from Pune to Brabourne Stadium here due to multiple COVID-19 cases in the Capitals camp.
In a statement on Tuesday, BCCI secretary Jay Shah confirmed that the change of venue was necessitated “to avoid any further incident due to any undetected case during a long-distance bus journey in a closed environment”.
The Hindu understands that the Capitals squad, which has been confined to respective rooms since Monday morning, will train at an optional session on Tuesday evening.
Shah added: “The change of venue has been triggered due to five COVID-19 positive cases in the Delhi Capitals contingent.” On Monday, The Hindu had reported that five cases in the Capitals’ biosecure bubble were confirmed.
“From April 16, the entire Delhi Capitals contingent has been put under a daily RT-PCR testing procedure. The fourth round of RT-PCR tests conducted on April 19 have returned negative,” stated Shah.
“The Delhi Capitals contingent will undergo another round of RT-PCR testing on the morning of April 20.”
The five members who have contracted COVID-19 have been identified as physiotherapist Patrick Farhart (diagnosed on April 15), masseur Chetan Kumar (April 16), allrounder Mitchell Marsh, team doctor Dr. Abhijit Salvi and social media content team member Akash Mane (all on April 18).
While Marsh is under observation in a south Mumbai hospital, others are quarantined in their respective room. After serving a five-day quarantine, should these members test negative on day six and seven, they will be allowed to re-enter the bubble.
