SL vs IND: Krunal Pandya tests positive for COVID-19; 2nd T20I postponed to July 28

The second T20I between Sri Lanka and India has been postponed to Wednesday, July 28 only hours before the commencement. It has been understood that the India all-rounder Krunal Pandya has been tested positive for COVID-19. The players have been in the bio-bubble ever since they reached Sri Lanka but there is no confirmation if there was any breach.

India is currently leading the three-match T20I series by 1-0 having won the opening game comfortably by 1-0 by 38 runs. The visitors had posted a total of 164 runs after being invited to bat first. Suryakumar Yadav (50) and Shikhar Dhawan (46) were the stars with the bat for them. With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the way picking up 4/22 as Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 126 runs in the 19th over itself to concede an early lead in the series.

Coming back to the postponement of the second T20I between the two teams, Outlook reported the news of all-rounder Krunal Pandya testing positive. It is also understood that eight close contacts have been identified, all from the Indian contingent, and are in isolation. Both the teams will be tested now and only if all return negative results, the series will resume.

Krunal has tested positive and the T20I on Tuesday has been postponed and will happen on Wednesday if all the others test negative. The players are currently isolating,” a source close to the developments said. As it stands for now, the second and third T20Is will now be played back to back on Wednesday and Thursday.

Meanwhile, there will be a lot to ponder for India if all others don’t return negative results as two members from the current squad, Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav are due to travel to England after being named as replacements for the five-match Test series starting from August 4.

Australia-West Indies ODI was also postponed recently

This is the second instance of a player or a support staff testing positive in the middle of a series. Last week, a support staff member of West Indies team was tested positive for the virus just before the start of the second ODI of the three-match series between Australia and the Caribbean team. Soon the match was rescheduled and the series resumed only after all others involved returned negative results.