AUKLAND: The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that New Zealand Cricket has allowed the national squad to leave their managed isolation.
According to the PCB, the 53-member Pakistan team was denied the right to train while in managed isolation in New Zealand after eight members of the touring squad had tested positive for COVID-19. The squad will leave the managed isolation of Christchurch tomorrow.
“This is to advise the Pakistan squad’s fifth and final day 12, Covid-19 tests have all been returned as negative,” NZC said in a statement.
“As a consequence, and pending final Ministry of Health approval, the squad will leave managed isolation tomorrow and fly to Queenstown, where they will train ahead of the T20 and Test series against the BLACKCAPS,” the statement added.
Read mre: Pakistan announces squad for New Zealand T20 matches
The last health check-up of the national squad in New Zealand will be tomorrow. A member from Auckland will join the squad in Queenstown.
The T20 series between Pakistan and New Zealand will start on 18th December. The Pakistan Cricket Board had announced an 18-member squad for the T20 against New Zealand.
The team will be led by Babar Azam and vice-captain Shadab Khan. Sarfraz Ahmed and Hussain Talat have returned to the T20 squad.
Six members of the Pakistan team had tested positive on arrival, while two more returned positive tests later and all eight are now in quarantine. Pakistan head coach Misbah-ul-Haq on Sunday said not being able to train while being in managed isolation has affected his side’s preparation ahead of the series.
Mohammad Rizwan, Haider Ali, Mohammad Hafeez, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdal Shah, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Hasnain, Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Qadir, Wahab Riaz, Fahim Ashraf, Emad Wasim, and Abdullah Shafiq are in the squad.
