Much to young Naseem Shah’s relief, the Pakistan Cricket Board has allowed the Quetta Gladiators quick to rejoin the bubble in place for the rescheduled PSL 2021 in Abu Dhabi.
Naseem, who had arrived at the hotel facility arranged for the PSL 2021 contingent in Lahore with a negative COVID-19 test, was released from the competition bubble only three days back since he breached an important health regulation in place.
The PCR report that Naseem had presented was from a test conducted on May 18. But since Naseem had taken a flight from Karachi to Lahore and had to have a negative report from the PCR test conducted 48 hours before they assembled at the team hotel on May 24.
Since Naseem couldn’t initially adhere to this tournament regulation, a PSL medical advisory panel recommended that he be released from the competition immediately.
When Naseem was released, Babar Hamid, the director and commercial head of PSL 2021, reiterated PCB’s position regarding the health restrictions in place for the UAE leg of the tournament.
“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,”
Hamid was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
However, the PCB and PSL authorities have now adopted a more lenient approach in the case of Naseem, who has seen a door reopened for him ahead of the competition, resuming June 1.
Naseem now just has to clear the pre-isolation test before being allowed to re-enter the team hotel. If he also gives two consecutive negative tests thereafter, the 18-year-old quick will board the flight to Abu Dhabi. Naseem would be travelling in the second round of flights arranged for those outside the 202 PSL personnel that were shifted to the UAE on Thursday.
