PAK v WI 2021: Pakistan-West Indies series in doldrums after 5 more members of touring party test COVID positive

A total of nine members of West Indies contingent have tested positive for COVID-19.

Five more members of the West Indies touring party -- including three players -- have tested positive for Covid, officials said Thursday, leaving the rest of their Pakistan tour in the doldrums. The two sides have played two T20I matches and there is one more match remaining in the series.

The two teams are then slated to clash in three ODIs as well, scheduled for 18, 20, and 22 December. West Indies already played the first two T20Is missing the services of three big-name players in Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, and Kyle Mayers had tested positive for COVID-19.

With the threat of the new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus, which is highly transmissible, five members of the touring party tested positive on Saturday, bringing the total to nine since they arrived last week for a Twenty20 and limited-over series.

PAK v WI 2021: Chase, Cottrell and Mayers to miss T20I series after testing positive for COVID-19

West Indies officials said the latest positive test results in the squad came from wicketkeeper-batsman Shai Hope, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein, all-rounder Justin Greaves, assistant coach Roddy Estwick, and physician Akshai Mansingh.

Cricket West Indies officials said they would meet the PCB officials "once all members of the touring party have been tested again" to determine whether they can continue.

If the tour is canceled, it will be a huge blow to Pakistan which saw New Zealand and England calling off their tours in recent months on security grounds.

(AFP inputs)