PSL 2022: Wasim Akram, Wahab Riaz and Haider Ali test positive for COVID-19 days before tournament start

Wasim Akram, Wahab Riaz, and Haider Ali have tested positive for COVID-19 only two days ahead of the tournament opener on January 27. Akram is the president of Karachi Kings while Riaz and Ali play for Peshawar Zalmi. The trio has quarantined itself after returning positive. The Karachi players have also isolated themselves after the development. Kings will play the tournament opener against the defending champions Multan Sultans.

Wahab and Ali testing positive is a big blow for the 2017 champions as they have already lost two players due to respiratory disease. Former Pakistan wicketkeeper batter Kamran Akmal and pacer Arshad Iqbal have already been tested positive. The duo is replaced by the reserve players in the team. The replacement players are temporary and the recovered players can be re-integrated into the squad after returning with negative RT-PCR tests.

According to the statement issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Chief Operating Officer in PCB and director of PSL, Salman Naseer has said that more than 250 tests were conducted on January 25 and three players and five support staff members have tested positive.

“As per latest results received, in over 250 tests conducted since Thursday, three players and five support staff members have tested positive and have been isolated,” Naseer had said.

COVID19 protocols for Pakistan Super League 2022

The upcoming season of the Pakistan Super League will be played amidst the new variant of COVID19 - Omicron, which spreads more quickly than the previous variants. According to the protocols,The board will allow a team to take part in a game even if up to eight players test positive for Covid-19. A match would be canceled if nine members of a squad test positive. The eleventh and twelfth player can play as a substitute. The tested player will be required to isolate for 10 days.