All-coronavirus-negative Pakistan squad is leaving for South Africa today, however, preventing the virus throughout the tour would be a challenge for the cricket team that had received a warning on the New Zealand tour for violating precautionary guidelines.
All 22 players of Pakistan cricket team and 13 officials have returned negative for coronavirus as they leave for second foreign tour amid pandemic.
The whole squad and officials underwent testing four times.
The right-hand fast bowler Hasan Ali was the only one who had tested positive once but his remaining three tests returned negative.
The green caps will play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and four T20Is in South Africa.
The visitors will then fly to Zimbabwe for playing three T20Is and two test matches after finishing their tour in South Africa. Babar Azam will lead the team in both formats.
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The green caps are flying to the African continent on a chartered flight to Johannesburg. This is being done so to mitigate the risk of virus contraction. Similarly, they will return to Pakistan on a chartered flight too.
🇵🇰 🛫🇿🇦#SAvPAK #HarHaalMainCricket #BackTheBoysInGreen pic.twitter.com/lkB4LuaQcp
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) March 26, 2021
The experts believe the players need to act responsibly in both African countries to avoid any mishap.
Pakistani players had violated bio-secure bubble protocols designed for Pakistan Super League (PSL) 6 after which the event was postponed partly completed.
Even Pakistan Head Coach Misbah-ul-Haq has demanded the players to show responsibility as they were the biggest ‘stakeholders’.
Highlighting the importance of the tour, Misbah said playing against South Africa and Zimbabwe would be beneficial in the preparation of T20I World Cup scheduled later this year in October and November in India.