Reports: Delhi Capitals players return negative results for COVID-19 in first round of RT-PCR tests

In what was a shocking development in the Delhi Capitals’ camp, a player was tested positive on April 18 due to which the team had to postpone their plans of traveling to Pune for their next IPL 2022 fixture against the northern rivals Punjab Kings. It was also learned that the players and other members have undergone quarantine in their rooms wherein door-to-door COVID tests will be conducted on April 18 and 19 respectively.

However, it has now been reported that the first round of testing has happened smoothly and no player or members of the support staff have tested positive for the deadly virus. The COVID-19 issue happened in the squad after the team’s physio Patrick Farhart contracted the virus which forced him to go into isolation.

BCCI to send a medical team for further tests

According to the reports in India Today, “Delhi Capitals players, who are in quarantine in Mumbai, returned negative in the first round of RT-PCR tests conducted.” The report further states that “the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)  is sending a medical team to conduct another round of RT-PCR tests for the players and the members of the support staff.”

While the Delhi Capitals have cancelled their plans of visiting Pune for their next match, there is no change in the schedule for the game between DC and PBKS at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune on Wednesday, April 20 as of now. It now remains to be seen what call will be taken regarding the same after the second round of tests.

A similar incident had temporarily suspended the marquee tournament with immediate effect on May 4 last year after a COVID-19 outbreak in the SRH camp at the end of the first half. The event had to be rescheduled and the second leg was held in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) across three venues- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah in September-October. Thus, the IPL had to be staged in the UAE for a second consecutive year due to unavoidable circumstances.