Cottrell, Chase, Mayers test positive for Covid-19

Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase and Kyle Mayers have tested positive for Covid-19 and won't be available for the forthcoming Pakistan series, Cricket West Indies (CWI) confirmed on Saturday (December 11). West Indies are scheduled to play three T20Is, starting Monday, and as many ODIs in Pakistan.

The three players, along with a non-coaching member of the team management unit, tested positive in Karachi and will now undergo a period of self-isolation. All four members are fully vaccinated and are without major symptoms. They will remain in isolation for 10 days and until they return negative PCR test results.

"Our arrival testing protocols in Pakistan have confirmed four (4) COVID-19 positives. These were confirmed whilst the players and staff were still in room isolation, so despite this significant setback to our preparation plans, we are confident that the tour can continue as everyone else returned negative PCRs prior to their arrival into Pakistan and two negative PCRs since they have been in Karachi," said CWI CEO Johnny Grave. 

The risk of COVID-19 infection is impossible to remove completely from a cricket tour, in spite of the fact that many of our players have been living in bio-secure bubbles almost continuously since before the CPL. This unusual loss of three players from our squad will seriously impact our team preparations, but the rest of the squad are in good spirits and will begin training today ahead of our first game on Monday."

West Indies are already without their white-ball skipper Kieron Pollard, who will miss out the entire tour due to a hamstring injury. Nicholas Pooran will lead the team in the T20Is, while Shai Hope will captain West Indies in the ODIs.