Six Pakistan Women players test positive for Covid-19, but likely to be ready for West Indies ODIs

After the series, both Pakistan and West Indies will leave for Zimbabwe to take part in the ODI World Cup qualifiers

As many as six Pakistan Women cricketers – out of the party of 18 – are in isolation in Karachi after testing positive for Covid-19 ahead of the upcoming three-ODI against West Indies.

As things stand, the series will go ahead as scheduled, with the three cricketers who had tested positive on October 28 expected to reintegrate with the squad by November 6, after ten days of isolation, while the three who tested positive soon after – between October 29 and November 2 – will join the squad by November 9. The first ODI will be played on November 8, in Karachi.

The Pakistan squad was at the PCB’s high-performance centre in Karachi for a preparatory camp to prepare for the series, when the first three cases were reported and, as per the protocol, the three players were placed in isolation for ten days. The remaining players and members of the support staff subsequently went into six days’ quarantine.

But three more cricketers, from the group that was in quarantine, tested positive in fresh tests, but on different days, and their isolation periods will end on November 7, 8 and 9. The remaining members of the squad were allowed to train at the end of their quarantine.

The PCB hasn’t named the players who have tested positive, but a board spokesperson confirmed that the team will have a full 15-member squad in place by November 6 and have their playing XI ready for the first game.

Pakistan had named an 18-member squad with Javeria Khan as captain for the series against West Indies as well as for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifiers, to be played in Zimbabwe – both Pakistan and West Indies will leave for Zimbabwe immediately after their series; the tournament will be held from November 21 to December 5.

West Indies – led by Stafanie Taylor – landed in Karachi on November 1, and after fulfilling the requisite Covid-19 protocols, had their first training session at Karachi’s National Stadium today.

Pakistan squad: Javeria Khan (capt), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Maham Tariq, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk).