COVID-19: BCCI shifts Delhi Capitals-Punjab Kings IPL 2022 tie from Pune to Brabourne Stadium
Five cases of Covid-19, including Australian player Mitchell Marsh, triggers move
Kolkata: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday announced a change of venue for Match No. 32 of IPL 2022 between Delhi Capital and Punjab Kings from MCA Stadium, Pune to Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on April 20 (Wednesday) to minimise any risk of further triggering of Covid-19 during a long-distance bus journey in a closed environment.
A press release from the BCCI says the change of venue has been triggered due to five Covid-19 positive cases in the Delhi Capitals contingent: Patrick Farhat – Physiotherapist (tested positive on April 15), Chetan Kumar - Sports Massage Therapist (positive on April 16), Mitchell Marsh – Player (April 18), Dr Abhijit Salvi – Team doctor (April 18) and Akash Mane – Social Media Content team member (April 18).
The Covid positive cases are under isolation and medical observation, while Australian allrounder Marsh is in hospital. They will be tested on Day 6 and 7 and subject to both the tests being negative they will be re-integrated into the Delhi Capitals bio-secured bubble.
The entire Delhi Capitals contingent has been put under a daily RT-PCR testing procedure, while the fourth round of RT-PCR tests conducted on Tuesday have returned negative. The entire Delhi contingent will undergo another round of RT-PCR testing on the matchday morning on Thursday.
“The Delhi Capitals medical team is closely monitoring Marsh’s condition,” the team had earlier said in a statement on Twitter.
The BCCI wants to tread cautiously on the outbreak since last year’s edition was suspended midway through the tournament by a string of outbreaks of the virus in team camps.