The ICC in a major announcement has confirmed that players who test positive for COVID-19 will be permitted to play T20 World Cup matches.
The ICC stated that if a player contracts COVID-19, there won’t be any required testing during the competition or isolation time instead, team doctors would evaluate if it is appropriate for the athlete to compete as quoted by cricket.com.au.
Australia, which previously used some of the tightest COVID-19 regulations in the world, will take a much more liberal approach to host the World Cup this year as quoted by cricket.com.au.
The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham earlier this year adopted a similar stance, wherein people who tested positive for the virus were handled on a case-by-case basis and not necessarily barred from participation.
But given the strict guidelines used for other marquee events held since the pandemic began, it represents a significant turnaround in how the ICC handles COVID-19.
Just in time for the beginning of the preliminary stage of the competition beginning on Sunday, the Australian Federal Government’s required isolation rules for those who contract COVID-19 were terminated earlier this week.
If a player’s PCR test results are positive, teams may still modify their starting lineup; if the test is negative, the infected player may rejoin the team.
During a tense morning of the CWG gold medal game in August, Australian Tahlia McGrath tested positive but was eventually allowed to play. She sat aside from teammates when they batted and wore a mask while off the field, although she was eventually welcomed into the celebrations after Australia defeated India.
The men’s T20 World Cup bubble last year was strict, but the virus still forced teams into significant player changes because Covid positive individuals had to isolate for 10 days whether or not they were symptomatic and close connections had to wait six days.