PSL 2021: Quetta Gladiators' Anwar Ali tests positive for Covid-19, to miss flight to Abu Dhabi

Anwar Ali, the Quetta Gladiators fast bowler, has tested positive for Covid-19, and will now miss the flight bound for Abu Dhabi to take part in the remainder of the PSL tomorrow - two chartered flights are leaving from Pakistan, one from Karachi and the other from Lahore.

Ali had tested negative before checking into the hotel in Karachi, but his second test, conducted at the hotel on Monday, returned a positive result on Tuesday. He has been shifted to the separate floor within the hotel where he will isolate for a minimum of ten days. He will be released from the hotel after returning two negative tests.

The contingents of all six franchise are scheduled to fly out to Abu Dhabi tomorrow, and all individuals are required to quarantine in their hotel rooms for seven days after that before being allowed to enter the bio-secure environment - if they return negative tests. The PCB has created three separate bubbles in Abu Dhabi: one for players, support staff, match officials, hotel staff and PCB officials; the second, in a different hotel, for the TV production crew and key event management personnel; and the third is an accommodation dedicated to the groundstaff.

Players and support staff from Sri Lanka have reached Pakistan and will fly out to Abu Dhabi along with the Pakistanis - all flights will reach on May 26 - because the UAE has in place travel restrictions for several countries, including Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Chartered flights, however, are permitted.

The PCB has also earned exemptions for Indian and South African nationals, who are involved with the PSL in different capacities - mainly broadcast and production. Those taking chartered flights from those two countries have to quarantine for ten days in a separate hotel.

Anwar's loss will hurt the Gladiators, who have already lost the services of fast bowler Naseem Shah. Shah was released by the team yesterday following a breach of Covid-19 regulations as he arrived at the hotel in Lahore armed with a negative Covid-19 report dated May 18, but from a non-compliant PCR test.