Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan cricket team’s behaviour in their bio-secure facility in Christchurch had “significantly improved”, New Zealand’s Ministry of Health said on Friday, just 24 hours after the tourists had been warned about breaching Covid-19 protocols. The ministry had confirmed on Thursday that six of the 53 touring party members had tested positive for the novel coronavirus upon arrival, while there was also evidence there had been breaches of bio-security rules. “Since the team was issued with a warning, compliance with MIQ (managed isolation and quarantine) rules in the facility has significantly improved,” it said in a statement on Friday. “We thank members of the team for their co-operation with the case investigations following the announcement of positive cases within the team. “Co-operation and compliance are critical in ensuring New Zealand is kept safe from Covid-19.”

The positive results had come from tests administered upon the team’s entry to New Zealand, where all arrivals have to undergo 14 days of isolation. The ministry added that the squad had undergone a second round of Covid-19 testing on Friday. The team had been given an exemption to train together in small ‘bubbles’ after the second round of testing but that has been temporarily rescinded after the positive results. Health officials were still conducting interviews with the squad. Anyone considered to have been in close contact with the six positives will not be allowed to train. News of the positive tests and the restrictions being placed on the team sparked an angry response from former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who said New Zealand officials had treated them like a club team. “I want to give a message to New Zealand board (NZC) that this is not a club team, it’s Pakistan national cricket team,” Shoaib said on his YouTube channel. “We don’t need you. You are talking about Pakistan — the greatest country on the planet — so behave yourself and stop giving such statements. “Be careful next time.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Wasim Khan was told by the New Zealand Government that one more breach of New Zealand’s Covid-19 protocols by the Pakistan squad would result in the entire travelling party being deported. The PCB CEO sent his message to the players candidly, telling them being sent back home would be ‘hugely embarrassing’. “Boys, I spoke to the New Zealand government and they told us there were three or four breaches of protocols,” Wasim said in the voice note. “They have a zero-tolerance policy and they’ve given us a final warning. We understand that this is a difficult time for you, and you went through similar conditions in England. It’s not easy. But this is a matter of the nation’s respect and credibility. Observe these 14 days and then you’ll have the freedom to go to restaurants and roam about freely. They have told me in clear terms that if we commit one more breach, they’ll send us home.” Pakistan are due to play three T20s and two Tests in New Zealand.