KARACHI: The touring South Africa cricket squad had a three-hour long practice session at the Karachi Gymkhana Ground here on Sunday in preparations for the first Test against Pakistan after clearing their first coronavirus (Covid-19) after reaching Karachi the day before.

According to a Cricket South Africa (CSA) media release, the 21 cricketers and 11 support staff members all underwent Covid-19 testing shortly after arriving at their hotel.

“Cricket South Africa is pleased to announce all of the results [of Covid-19 tests] are negative. Upon their arrival at the hotel on Saturday, the squad have been quarantining in their rooms since then,” CSA stated on Sunday.

During their first practice at the KG Ground, which is adjacent to the team hotel, the South African players had extensive nets, which were supervised by head coach and former wicket-keeper Mark Boucher.

The visitors will another session of practice at the same venue on Monday after South Africa captain Quinton de Kock will hold his arrival virtual media conference.

The first Test starts here at the National Stadium from Jan 26.

AFP adds from Johannesburg: Meanwhile, the South Africa squad had to fly to Pakistan on a hastily-arranged charter flight after their commercial flights were cancelled — and Covid-19 restrictions could further complicate the team’s plans, it emerged on Sunday.

A team spokesperson confirmed on Sunday that CSA had to make urgent late arrangements after being informed on Thursday that Emirates Airlines had temporarily suspended flights to and from South Africa for ‘operational reasons’.

The South African players had been due to travel in groups to Dubai from the airline’s hubs in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban before travelling on to Karachi.

But CSA were able to organise a charter flight to enable the team to depart as planned on Friday night, flying directly to Karachi.

With Covid-19 restrictions severely limiting international travel options from South Africa, CSA now has a major logistical and cost problem if the planned Twenty20 International series, due to follow the Test matches, is to go ahead.

It had been expected that an almost completely different squad would play in the three T20 matches, with the Test squad returning to South Africa to prepare for a planned series against Australia.

The Test series in Pakistan is due to end on Feb 8 with the T20 Internationals scheduled between Feb 11 and 14 in Lahore.

The home Test series against Australia, which has not yet been confirmed, is likely to start in early March, two weeks later than originally planned.

But a CSA source said that Covid-19 protocols would make it necessary for the South African Test squad to return home immediately after the second Test in Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2021