LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday confirmed that all 128 COVID-19 tests it conducted on the players, support staff, match officials, broadcasters and team owners of the postponed fifth Pakistan Super League resulted negative.

The tests were carried out on Tuesday and Wednesday after the league was postponed amid the coronavirus fears.

According to an official statement of the PCB, additionally, Multan Sultans underwent 17 COVID-19 tests on Monday,.

“It was absolutely critical for the integrity and credibility of the HBL Pakistan Super League and the Pakistan Cricket Board that all players, support personnel, broadcasters and match officials, those who had decided to stay back till the end of the tournament, tested negative for COVID-19,” a PCB statement quoted CEO Wasim Khan as saying.

“In this background, the PCB is pleased with the outcome of the results and happy that all these players and officials have rejoined their families without any health and safety doubts or concern.”

The statement said all all the 25 remaining foreign players, support staff and match officials have already departed for their respective destinations.

Due to the fast-spreading pandemic the PSL had been halted in its final stages, when the PCB announced the postponement of the tournament just two hours before the first semi-final’s was to start on Tuesday at the Gaddafi Stadium.

The PCB had already announced the semi-finals and finals would be held behind closed doors as a safety measure.

The board has the resolve to reschedule the remaining fixtures as soon as the coronavirus threat dies down.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2020