The Covid-19 positive cases were discovered five days after the Bangladesh women's cricket team returned home from the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 qualifiers in Zimbabwe which was cancelled midway.
Two members of the Bangladesh women’s cricket team tested positive for Covid-19 after returning home from Zimbabwe, forcing the national cricket body to extend the isolation period. Bangladesh had participated in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 qualifiers and has been in quarantine after returning home. (More Cricket News)
With a new COVID-19 variant Omicron, which originated in South Africa, rocking the world, the Bangladesh government had imposed new travel rules on people returning from the African country. The ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 qualifiers had to be cancelled midway due to the outbreak of Omicron.
“The team members, who were sharing the same room, had returned negative results in the two tests conducted in Dhaka on December 1 and 3. However, reports from a third PCR test on December 6 has shown both to be Covid-19 positive,” Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was quoted as saying.
“As such, the mandatory isolation of the team, which was due to end today (Monday, December 6, 2021), has been extended as per the Covid-19 Management Protocol of the BCB. The team members will undergo further tests and evaluation during the extended isolation.” The variant of the virus is yet to be known.
The players were supposed to be released from quarantine on Monday and scheduled to meet BCB president Nazmul Hassan to celebrate their qualification for the 2022 Women’s World Cup to be held in New Zealand. The programme now stays postponed.
Despite the cancellation of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 qualifiers midway, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the West Indies have qualified for the mega event by virtue of their rankings. They will join Australia, England, India, South Africa and hosts New Zealand in an eight-team contest.
The 2022 Women’s World Cup will be held from March 4 to April 3.