The Pakistan Super League was called off with only three matches remaining after Alex Hales, the England batsman, returned home early from the tournament and then went into self-isolation due to symptoms that could indicate Covid-19.
Hales was among a number of overseas cricketers who left the PSL last week due to uncertainty over travel restrictions and possible quarantine scenarios, arriving home on Saturday morning without any indication of being sick.
But a subsequent fever and dry cough saw the 31-year-old follow government guidelines and opt to self-isolate – albeit with no test to confirm the presence of coronavirus – with the news then relayed to his franchise, Karachi Kings, and ultimately triggering the PSL’s knockout stages being shelved altogether.
The development has also seen Surrey’s Tom Curran and Jade Dernbach now forced to self-isolate for 14 days, the pair having been with Hales on Saturday night when celebrating the former’s 25th birthday with a game of darts in London.
It means Surrey now have eight players in isolation after announcing on Monday that six squad members had been removed from the squad during their pre-season preparations due to symptoms or proximity to others.
In a seemingly unrelated development, The Guardian also understands Worcestershire have now placed all their players and coaching staff on lockdown for the next fortnight due to the emergence of symptoms in their camp. It comes less than a month out from the start of the 2020 County Championship.
Wasim Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chief executive, did not name Hales when announcing the PSL’s postponement on Tuesday but his identity had already been revealed by commentator Ramiz Raja. Hales had also tweeted a request for “TV series to binge-watch” on Monday, before deleting the post.
Confirming the news on Tuesday, a statement from Hales said: “Like many other overseas players, I reluctantly left the Pakistan Super League early because, with COVID-19 reaching global pandemic status, I felt it was more important to be with my family rather than face a period of lockdown thousands of miles from home.
“I returned to the UK in the early hours of Saturday morning feeling perfectly fit and healthy and with absolutely no symptoms of the virus.
“However, I awoke early on Sunday morning having developed a fever and followed the government’s advice of self-isolation, a process I am obviously still following having developed a dry and persistent cough.
“At this stage, it has not been possible to be tested although I am hopeful that might be the case later today so that I can get absolute confirmation of my current health status.”
Players, officials, commentators and TV crew working on the PSL production have all been offered testing for Covid-19 but it is understood that a number have declined in order to expedite their return home. Moeen Ali, Ravi Bopara, Samit Patel and Chris Jordan are the English cricketers among them offered the testing, having opted to stay behind and see out the remainder of a tournament that had switch to empty stadiums.
The semi-finals involving Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi, Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars were due to be played on Tuesday in Lahore, with the final also at the Gaddafi Stadium 24 hours later. These may now be played at a later date as tournament officials decide how best to proceed.