New Delhi: The second T20 International between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo was postponed Tuesday by a day. It happened after visiting all-rounder Krunal Pandya tested positive for Covid-19. Krunal Pandya has been forced out of the series with seven days of isolation. However, all his eight close contacts, who were isolated, have tested ‘negative’ in the RT-PCR tests. They will be available for the postponed game which will be played Wednesday.
As per Sri Lanka’s health safety protocols, Krunal will not be able to travel back to India with other members of the contingent July 30. He will now have to undergo mandatory isolation and obtain a negative RT-PCR report. The third and final T20 is scheduled to be played Thursday.
“Krunal is symptomatic with cough and throat pain. He is obviously out of the series. He will not be able to return with rest of the squad,” a BCCI source tracking the developments in Colombo informed. “However the good news is that all his eight close contacts who were identified by BCCI medical officer (Dr Abhijit Salvi) have tested negative,” the source added.
For now, the three-match series is on. Even if there are a couple of more positive cases, the Indian team have enough players with negative RT-PCR reports to field a team. Krunal, who tested positive Tuesday morning, has already been quarantined.
“The second T20I between Sri Lanka and India originally scheduled to be played July 27 has been pushed forward by a day. It will now take place Wednesday, July 28,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a media statement.
Also read: Krunal Pandya tests Covid-19 positive, T20 game shifted to Wednesday, 8 others in isolation
It has been learnt from BCCI sources that all the members of the Indian contingent were put in room isolation till they received their negative RT-PCR reports. The entire contingent has undergone RT-PCR tests on the day to ascertain any further outbreak in the squad.
India are travelling with a 20-member squad plus four stand bye net bowlers.
Now, there will be back-to-back matches Wednesday and Thursday provided there aren’t any more players testing positive to affect the balance of the sides which will lead to cancellation.
The development is also likely to affect the travel plans of Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav. They are due to join the Indian team in England after this series for an upcoming Test assignment against England next month. The duo was supposed to link up with the red ball squad in UK after the completion of the T20 series. It it is still not clear whether these two are among the eight, who were in close contact of Krunal.