India's IPL stars off to Dubai after second successive negative RT-PCR reports
The players started departing in clusters – some in charter flights arranged by their franchises like Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderbad while Chennai Super Kings cricketers took a commercial flight
The Indian cricketers, contracted to play the Indian Premier League (IPL), left for the UAE in chartered and commercial flights after returning negative RT-PCR tests for the second time in two days.
The travel arrangements were made by the players’ respective franchises.
The players began their early departures for the remainder of the IPL, starting September 19, after India’s fifth Test against England was postponed indefinitely following a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp.
The players, led by Virat Kohli, refused to take the field despite testing negative for the virus as they had apprehensions that playing members could contract the virus after assistant physio Yogesh Parmar tested positive just ahead of the final game.
“The good news is that all the players and support staff members have now tested negative for the RT-PCR for the second time. The reports arrived late on Friday evening and most of them are already on their way to Dubai for the IPL,” a senior BCCI official told PTI.
