The Indian Premier League has experienced is first Covid case since the season resumed in the UAE on Sunday, after Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler T Natarajan returned a positive test result.
Hyderabad are due to restart their 2021 IPL campaign when they face Delhi Capitals at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday evening.
A little over four hours before the start of the game, it was announced Natarajan had tested positive. The fixture will go ahead as scheduled.
“Sunrisers Hyderabad player T Natarajan tested positive for Covid-19 at a scheduled RT-PCR test,” the IPL organisers wrote in a statement.
“The player has isolated himself from the rest of the squad. He is currently asymptomatic.”
One other player, Vijay Shankar, has been identified as a close contact.
Five members of the team's support staff - manager Vijay Kumar, physio Shyam Sundar, doctor Anjana Vannan, logistics manager Tushar Khedkar, and net bowler Periyasamy Ganesan - are also now isolating.
“The rest of the contingent including the close contacts underwent RT-PCR tests at 5am local time this morning and the test reports are negative,” the statement continued.
“As a result, tonight's game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals will go ahead at the Dubai International Stadium.”
