T20 Blast: Marnus Labuschagne pulls out of a match after a Glamorgan player tests positive for COVID-19

Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne, who was playing T20 Blast for Glamorgan in England, has been forced to pull out of a match after his teammate Nick Selman tested positive for the COVID-19. Apparently, the team has signalled out Labuschagne and Michael Neser as the two players who were in close contact with Selman during his stint with the club.

Selman plays for Queensland’s youth sides and got along well with the Australian right-hand batter and Neser, who also plays for the same team at the top level. After testing positive, Selman has to follow the norm and be under strict quarantine for the next 10 days.

While all the other players, coaches, and support staff of Glamorgan have got negative results, Neser and Labuschagne’s reports are yet to come and they won’t take further part in the T20 Blast till their results are out. “Batsman Nick Selman has tested positive for coronavirus following the results of a PCR test. He will now spend 10 days in self-isolation,” Glamorgan said in a media statement.

“The club also identified Labuschagne and Michael Neser as potential close contacts and are taking the precautionary measure of removing them from the matchday squad. All other team members, coaches, and staff returned negative results.”

Marnus Labuschagne could potentially lose out on an opportunity in the T20 World Cup

The 26-year-old Marnus had a good season for Glamorgan. Although the batter struggled during the four-day County matches, Labuschagne came roaring back into form in the shortest format and was the side’s leading run-scorer. But, the latest news of him pulling out from the recent match due to the COVID-19 scare and the possibility of him losing few more games, means he will have to wait for his chances to show credentials in the T20 format.

Interestingly, the right-hand batter is not part of the squad for Australia’s tour to the West Indies. This T20 Blast competition could well have made the selectors take note of his value as a T20 player too, but now he will have to start all over again. Apart from playing the West Indies, Australia are also set to travel to Bangladesh to play a T20I series in the month of August.

The T20 World Cup 2021 is scheduled in the months of October – November and Labuschagne might feel he missed an opportunity.