Pakistan cricket team players and support staff have got the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared the pictures of their players getting vaccinated on Friday (May 7).
PCB said the vaccination drive was conducted in collaboration with the Pakistan government’s National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC). They vaccinated 57 men players, 13 officials of the men's team and 13 NHPC men and women coaches in the first phase.
The inoculation drive carried on for more than two months after starting on March 4 in Karachi. It concluded on May 6 when eight players, who were part of Pakistan’s squad for the ongoing Test series against Zimbabwe, were given second doses in Harare.
ALSO READ: PSL 2021: PCB considering UAE as potential venue for remainder of PSL 6
"We requested the NCOC for vaccines during the HBL Pakistan Super League 6. The vaccination drive started in Karachi and our first priority was to get the players and support staff involved in the tournament vaccinated," PCB Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer said in a statement.
"After the initial round of vaccination in Karachi, we focused on getting the remaining members of the men's squad, who were not involved in the PSL 6, vaccinated before the tours of South Africa and Zimbabwe."
The next phase will see the remaining domestic men and national women cricketers getting vaccinated. The age-group cricketers and support staff of the domestic, national women, and age-group teams will also join them.
“The PCB is fully behind the government’s vaccination drive and once again urges people across Pakistan to get vaccinated in order to ensure the health and safety of their own selves and their families,” Naseer said.
“Our players � both men and women � and PCB management will continue to provide full support and backing to the NCOC vaccine awareness initiatives as they have done repeatedly since the outbreak of the pandemic last year.”
Several franchise players and support staff besides PCB match officials involved in the February-March phase of the Pakistan Super League (three-match referees, three umpires) were also vaccinated.
(With PTI Inputs)
