Six Sri Lanka women’s cricket team players have tested positive for Covid-19.© AFP
Six players who were part of the Sri Lanka squad for the Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe have tested positive for Covid-19, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said on Sunday. It wasn’t immediately known whether the positive tests were for the newly-identified Omicron variant of the virus. The development came just a day after the International Cricket Council (ICC) called off the qualifiers following the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron variant. The new variant has led to travel curbs being put in place by many countries across the world.
“The team is still in Zimbabwe, and we’re talking with the ICC to try and get them back to Sri Lanka as soon as possible,” SLC CEO Ashley de Silva was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
“The players who have tested positive will have to stay there until they test negative. There is a doctor traveling with the team who will stay behind with them,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, ICC had said that the slots for the World Cup would be decided on the basis of team rankings following the abandonment of the qualifiers.
“The tournament, scheduled to be played till 5 December, would have decided the final three spots for the ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand next year as well as the remaining two berths in the next cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship,” ICC stated in a press released.
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“However, with the emergence of the latest Covid-19 variant in South Africa and the introduction of travel restrictions from a number of African countries, including the host country Zimbabwe, the ICC has decided to call off the event, with the qualification slots decided as per team rankings, in keeping with the tournament’s playing conditions,” it added.
“Hence, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the West Indies will now progress to the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, with Sri Lanka and Ireland occupying the other slots for the 2022-25 cycle of the ICC Women’s Championship.”
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