The Lanka Premier League (LPL) received further setback after two foreign players tested positive for coronavirus as they arrived in Sri Lanka for the perennially-delayed Twenty20 tournament.
Pakistan's Sohail Tanvir and Canada's Ravinderpal Singh were isolated and placed under medical care on Friday as their on-arrival Covid-19 tests showed they were infected, officials said.
The news came as big-hitting West Indian star Chris Gayle told his Kandy Tuskers team he would not be able to attend because of a hamstring injury, a spokesman for the Tuskers was quoted as saying by AFP.
South African batsman Faf du Plessis also opted out as he had to be with his national team for the tour of England.
Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka's Twenty20 skipper, backed out saying he did not have enough practice to take part in the 23-match tournament starting on November 26 and ending on December 17.
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Original start-studded list of LPL participants
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LANKA PREMIER LEAGUE STAR SIGNINGS: West Indies batsman Chris Gayle - Kandy Tuskers. Sportzpics for BCCI -
England's World Cup winner Liam Plunkett - Kandy Tuskers. Getty -
Pakistan left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz - Kandy Tuskers. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Star West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell - Colombo Kings. Sportzpics for BCCI -
South African batsman Faf du Plessis - Colombo Kings. Sportzpics for BCCI -
Indian batsman Manvinder Bisla - Colombo Kings. AFP -
Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi - Galle Gladiators. Chris Whiteoak / The National -
Pakistan fast bowler Mohammed Amir - Galle Gladiators. AP -
Afghanistan batsman Hazratullah Zazai - Galle Gladiators. Satish Kumar for The National -
South African batsman David Miller - Dambulla Hawks. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National -
West Indies all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite - Dambulla Hawks. Getty -
England batsman Dawid Malan - Jaffna Stallions. AFP -
Pakistan all-rounder Shoaib Malik - Jaffna Stallions. Pawan Singh / The National -
Pakistan fast bowler Usman Shinwari - Jaffna Stallions. Chris Whiteoak / The National
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Strict quarantine restrictions meant all players for the five teams had to join a "bio-secure bubble" at a hotel in the island's south by Thursday.
Health authorities have insisted on a one-week quarantine at the hotel. Matches are to be played at Hambantota stadium with no spectators.
Other players who have withdrawn include England all-rounder Ravi Bopara and Kabir Ali, a former English cricketer who was due to coach one of the teams.
Ali tested positive for the coronavirus just before he was due to arrive in Sri Lanka and was replaced by former South African star Herschelle Gibbs, who had travelled to the island as a commentator for the competition.
The league was postponed three times because of the pandemic, but the Sri Lanka cricket board insisted that it would go ahead as currently planned.
