New Delhi: The four teams not affected by the Covid-19 positive cases in their camps have been given the green signal to disperse and have already begun leaving their respective bio-bubbles after the Indian Premier League (IPL) was called off following positive cases in four of the eight teams.
While the Rajasthan Royals (RR) players and staff members have already begun leaving the bio-bubble in Delhi, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will leave their bio-bubble in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Punjab Kings (PBKS) members too will start leaving their bio-bubble from tomorrow and day after. Some of the franchises, like Punjab, have made elaborate arrangements, booking different chartered flights for different sectors.
“Yes, we will start leaving from tomorrow and the players and staff will most probably leave in different chartered flights,” an official from a franchise told IANS.
RR, PBKS, RCB and Mumbai Indians have not been affected by any positive case in their camp.
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Capitals (DC) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) have, however, been affected by positive cases and may remain in isolation.
However, a senior Indian cricket board (BCCI) office-bearer said that the players and staff who haven’t tested positive even in the affected teams have been allowed to leave the bio-bubble.
The affected players have to remain in isolation for a while and undergo tests. The tests need to show negative results before they are allowed to disperse.
There is still a decision to be made on foreign players in the franchises.
While the South Africans have been allowed to return home by their government, deliberations are still on over how and where to send the Australian cricketers.
The Aussies can’t return home. They will probably go to a third country and serve their quarantine there. There is a possibility they will all be sent to the same country like UAE or Maldives where Michael Slater went.
The Indian board will decide on the matter further and chalk out their departure plans.
Sources say that the players can be held back and sent out together to their respective countries since the Indian board has taken the responsibility to send them home safely.
The Indian cricket board has assured the foreign cricketers saying, “It will do everything in its powers to arrange for the secure and safe passage of all the participants.”