Depleted Pakistan cricket squad leave for England
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The Pakistan cricket squad left on Sunday for their England tour without 10 players who had tested positive for coronavirus.
Test skipper Azhar Ali said the team was looking forward to playing in what will be some of the first Test matches since the Covid-19 pandemic sparked a global lockdown.
“All the players are excited after a tough period,” said Azhar on the eve of departure.
“Though a tour to England has always been challenging, our performances there on the last two tours [in 2016 and 2018] are encouraging and we will try to repeat those.”
Pakistan drew a four-Test series 2-2 in 2016 and a two-match series 1-1 two years later.
A chartered plane carried 20 squad members including two reserves, who were seen wearing face masks and observing social distancing at Lahore airport in pictures released by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
The squad will face a two-week isolation period on arrival before continuing their preparations ahead of the first Test with two four-day warm-up matches.
The travelling party did not include 10 players who tested positive for the virus last week. Six later tested negative for the virus, and will be allowed to rejoin the squad once they have had two consecutive negative results.
Pakistan are due to play three Tests against England in August followed by three Twenty20 internationals.
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On DawnNews
Comments (47) Closed
Jun 28, 2020 04:18pm
The nation is financially in dire straits but our cricket team can yet afford to travel to England in extreme luxury on a chartered aircraft. wow.
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Jun 28, 2020 04:20pm
Well done greenshirts for showing the courage, resilience and the fortitude to undertake one of the most difficult overseas journeys to England and Wales to play and promote the gentleman's game of cricket in the midst of the rapidly expanding, ever increasing, unstoppable and fastly growing coronavirus pandemic.
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Jun 28, 2020 04:28pm
@Raza, The flight arranged by English cricket board not pcb
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Jun 28, 2020 04:30pm
Should have been avoided.
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Jun 28, 2020 04:50pm
Speechless.
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Jun 28, 2020 04:51pm
@Raza, IMF can help, so please don't worry.
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Jun 28, 2020 04:54pm
Chartered plane? You must be kidding me? Are we a nation of billionaires or what?
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Jun 28, 2020 05:16pm
Smart covid handling is when you test low for ‘good handling’ results, stop testing to be covid free!!. Reality is known when 30 untested travellers arrive in HKG and 22 are positive when tested. When 10 players of cricket team are found to be positive when tested. This shows the real spread.
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Jun 28, 2020 05:17pm
Squad of 200???
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Jun 28, 2020 05:34pm
What kind of cricket is this in most dangerous time starting with isolation? Why we are so desperate when team is not performing?
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Jun 28, 2020 05:35pm
Finally some cricket!!
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Jun 28, 2020 06:23pm
In these financially critical times do we need these tours? Go to England, drink an English beer and quarantine yourself for FOURTEEN days BEFORE you set foot on the cricket ground.
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Jun 28, 2020 07:15pm
Have a good rest for 2 weeks before start training.
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Jun 28, 2020 07:16pm
@Raza, do they deserve it? No, considering their pathetic performance every time.
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Jun 28, 2020 07:18pm
@Vivek Lahore, days of disappointing performances starting , enjoy.
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Jun 28, 2020 07:37pm
Worst cricketing decision in history of PCB Hope this does not become a showcase of Pakistan’s ability to handle coronavirus
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Jun 28, 2020 08:08pm
It was good to see that Pakistan Cricket Squad left for England to play cricket matches.
Despite coronavirus has become a hurdle in every walk of life, it was necessary to break the barrier and I am glad that Pakistani Cricket Squad had left for England and became the first Cricket Squad to break this barrier.
While TV screens have become extremely most bored aspect of lives for an ordinary person due to spread of coronavirus in the country followed by major lockdowns in various cities, live cricket matches will change the mood of the people during the lockdowns.
The IPPs and electricity generating companies should make sure that no loadshedding should be done any more to make and keep the people happy, including those conronavirus patients who have self quarantined themselves at their residences.
Hope Pakistan's Cricket Squad will play excellent cricket in England, irrespective of the outcome, whatever it may be.
Cricket means cricket, whether one lose, or win the matches.
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Jun 28, 2020 08:28pm
No doubt, amid the rapidly expanding, ever growing, unstoppable and fastly increasing coronavirus pandemic, this is a brave and challenging overseas tour for the greenshirts to play three test and equal number of T/20 matches against England in England during the months of July/ August 2020. Well done and keep it up.
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Jun 28, 2020 09:26pm
Pray that none of them is tested positive in England during and after the isolation.
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Jun 28, 2020 09:40pm
Welcome green shirts, can't wait to cheer for you. All the very best boys.
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Jun 28, 2020 10:38pm
Life must go on. Benefits to cricket and pleasure it brings to billions is priceless. All other professions are working why not sportsmen?
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Jun 28, 2020 10:57pm
Best of luck Pak cricket team! Also stay safe
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Jun 28, 2020 10:58pm
The flight is arranged by English cricket board and all members of ICC are trying to have cricket with new norms sooner or later.
PCB wants to earn money so that they can bear expenses like every other cricket board.
Sitting at home won't generate money.
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Jun 28, 2020 11:16pm
Desperate measures.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:24am
Cricket might take people’s mind off problems in the country.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:50am
Is it worth it? Sending depleted squads
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Jun 29, 2020 12:51am
I think our people and press should support our team. Looks like it becomes the habit of criticizing everything and never look positive side. When this matches will be televised all these critics will be watching and enjoying.
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Jun 29, 2020 03:27am
The show must go on!. Good luck to organizers and both teams. It will be interesting to see 2nd and 4th slips without 1st and 3rd slips :)
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Jun 29, 2020 04:32am
As usual, contributions can be asked from overseas Pakistanis to defray cost of such chartered planes,
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Jun 29, 2020 05:37am
What will be the result.
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Jun 29, 2020 06:17am
Mind you this is a racket. These players would have paid huge money to PCB to be in this tour, so that they can be in UK and search jobs once they land in UK. They would say there is no flight to come back and hence staying back in UK
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Jun 29, 2020 06:44am
Good excuse when they lose the matches
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Jun 29, 2020 06:48am
Chek pia pilot licence before you leave
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Jun 29, 2020 06:48am
@Raza, extreme luxury? Have you not seen the pictures? They're traveling in the economy class... have you never seen the inside of an aeroplane???
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Jun 29, 2020 07:38am
The Pakistani players have been to England umpten number of times. Why have rest and relaxation for the whole of July before playing 3 Tests and 3 T-20s in August? They are well acquainted to the weather in UK. Salams
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Jun 29, 2020 08:29am
They are safer in England.
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Jun 29, 2020 09:04am
Good luck to a depleted Pakistani squad with ten suffering from virus left behind, amongst them what a shame, an extremely talented batsman in Haider Ali. It is lack of sufficient preparation and thought process ahead of tour in not keeping the squad isolated in a training camp 30 days prior with regular checks for the disease. The protocol on the plane players suggested sufficient space etween players but some were had lowered their mask, perhaps a further cause of concern that some may still not make the tour.
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Jun 29, 2020 10:18am
Two weeks holidays in isolation. Why our team is there when no cricket is being played anywhere? England would never come to Pakistan in this situation if it's a home series.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:15pm
@Dr.Sadaf, Pakistan has drawn the test series on the lost 2 occasions since 2016 in England and lot lost any in UK for past decades.
They have won ODI and T20 series on there recent tours to UK. So what are you talking about?
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Jun 29, 2020 12:17pm
@Raza, please do son research before commenting. The tour inc flights etc are paid by ECB. Beside when a team goes on tour it is sponsored or funds allocated are through advertising NOT TAX PAYERS MONEY.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:22pm
@Arshad Khan, just football and others sports are being played all over the world right now. Do you not follow any news. Top football players of the world i.e Ronaldo are playing currently this week.
West Indies are to play England first beginning in first week of July. Pakistan will play in Aug.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:25pm
@Sadnews , please educate yourself with news beforehand. ECB has commission the entire tour and extra safety measurements.
When other more effected nations than Pakistan i.e UK, SPAIN, FRANCE, USA etc can play football other sports then why not Pakistan. Even that in UK.
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Jun 29, 2020 12:40pm
@Raza, Safety of the players is paramount. Cost of chartered plane will come out of lucrative payout as a result of this series, so no burden on national resources.
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Jun 29, 2020 03:42pm
@Sadnews , this is a ECB commission and endorsed by PCB event. The costs and responsibilities are all provided by ECB. They are the ones which approached PCB and requested for the tour to take place.
West Indies are play England first in July then Pakistan.
No cricket lover will say no to cricket, especially since other sports are being played around the world inc Europe. Football is a contact sport, which currently being played and aired live on TV. Why not cricket?
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Jun 29, 2020 04:47pm
Please be careful. Dont get caught again
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Jun 29, 2020 07:10pm
Disqualified players due to COVID 19 and Unqualified pilots without fake licenses. Why in the world we come up with these types of embarrassments time and again.
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Jun 29, 2020 07:24pm
@raza please do some research before you enlighten us with that bright mind of your's , which is a little bit short and thick. nation needs some good entertainment Go Green.
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