Daily Times

LAHORE: After releasing fast bowler Naseem Shah from the Pakistan Super League (PSL) only three days ago, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a U-turn by allowing him to enter the team hotel in Lahore. The Quetta Gladiators fast bowler will be in isolation before flying to Abu Dhabi along with the contingent left behind by the first flights that carried 202 personnel on Thursday. Naseem had initially arrived at the tournament hotel in Lahore with a negative COVID-19 test, but there was a problem. As per the COVID-19 protocols for the remaining PSL matches, all those traveling through chartered flights from Karachi and Lahore were directed to assemble at the team hotels on May 24 with negative reports from PCR tests taken not more than 48 hours prior. However, Naseem presented a PCR report from a test that was conducted on May 18. So, upon the recommendation of the independent medical advisory panel for the PSL, the PCB released him from the competition.

At the time, Babar Hamid, the director and commercial head of PSL 6, said “the PCB will not compromise on any violations and will expel the player or player support personnel irrespective of his stature and standing in the game if they are found to be flouting the prescribed protocols or regulations.” Things have changed a bit since then. After a meeting between the PCB and the PSL franchises, there has indeed been a compromise with Naseem offered a way back to the PSL. All he has to do is clear a pre-isolation COVID-19 test, which will allow him to re-enter the team hotel, and then return back-to-back negative tests, which will give him the green light to board the flight to Abu Dhabi.