A couple of days after a league stage fixture was moved due to a positive covid-19 case (Islamabad United's Fawad Ahmed), three more cases have been reported to have come up, across teams in the T20 tournament.
An official release stated that the three were not part of the double-header games [Karachi Kings vs Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators vs Multan Sultans] on Wednesday (March 3).
Though the release did not name the individuals returning positive tests, it has been made clear through social media that England batsman Tom Banton is one of three to test positive. Banton, who is a part of Quetta Gladiators, hasn't played a game for them since February 22.
Karachi Kings also confirmed that one of those three - and the only one from their squad - was their fielding coach Kamran Khan.
While the three will now self-isolate for a period of 10 days, the organising committee of the tournament is expected to hold a virtual meeting with team owners and management on Thursday (March 4) to decide the further course of action.
Following a meeting with the team owners and considering the health and wellbeing of all participants is paramount, the Pakistan Cricket Board has decided to postpone the HBL Pakistan Super League 6 with immediate effect. The decision was made after seven cases were reported in the competition, which had started on 20 February.
The PCB, as an immediate step, will focus on the safe and secure passage of all participants, and arrange repeat PCR tests, vaccines and isolation facilities to the six participating sides.
PCB Chief Executive Wasim Khan, Director – Commercial Babar Hamid, will hold a media conference at the National Stadium at 3pm to provide further updates.
Due to limited space in the press conference room, TV camerapersons are not allowed and the press conference will be live-streamed on the PCB YouTube Channel.
