PSL 2021 was postponed after several players and staff tested COVID-19 positive.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) appointed an independent fact-finding committee has confirmed that the bio-bubble set up for the 6th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2021 was broken and compromised on several occasions during the T20 event in Pakistan.
The PCB had to postpone the PSL 2021 in early March after just 10 of the 34 matches were completed after several players and staff members of the different franchisees had tested positive for COVID-19.
Following the postponement of Pakistan’s T20 league, PCB had named a two-member fact-finding panel, including infectious disease experts Faisal Mehmood and Salma Mohammad Abbas, to review the bio-secure protocols and bylaws put in place during the event.
Having found out what went wrong with the bio-secure bubble in PSL 6, the two-member committee of infectious diseases experts has submitted its report to PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani on March 31on the COVID-19 outbreak in the tournament.
The PCB will now review the report in detail and share the details with the board members before deciding on the next course of action.
It is being said that the committee had not blamed any particular individual, but confirmed that there were several occasions when the bio-secure bubble was broken and compromised during the PSL 2021 in Karachi.
The experts had also reportedly mentioned in the report submitted to the PCB that some stakeholders had even brought to notice of some board officials about the bio-secure breaches but they didn’t respond proactively.
The committee also reportedly made recommendations to PCB on how the board can ensure a safe and secure bio-secure bubble for stakeholders when the PSL resumes in June 2021.
(With PTI Inputs)