Pakistan’s players face spending up to three months in strict bio-secure conditions © AFP/Getty Images
A 25-man Pakistan squad (yet to be picked) to tour England will remain under bio-secure conditions for up to three months starting from early June in Lahore to the end of the England tour in August.
Players will stay at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from early June to resume training in pairs, and gradually will move to Gaddafi Stadium across the road for three weeks in a larger group setting.
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Pakistan are scheduled to play three Tests in August followed by a series of three T20Is, with the matches taking place behind closed doors as part of measures to combat Covid-19. The two boards held a meeting last week in which the ECB talked the PCB through plans to keep players in a bio-secure environment, from the moment they land in the country, with a two-week quarantine period on arrival.
PCB executives held a meeting with players and the coaching staff alongside with the medical department this week. They were briefed about the arrangements for the tour and informed about the possibility of having to stay together from June through the whole of the England tour until their return back home.
“It seems the Pakistan cricket team will have to remain under a strict bio-secure environment for up to three months,” Wasim Khan told media in a statement. “Players will be given an option to withdraw if they are still not satisfied with the provisions that will be put in place; full details will be provided in the coming weeks.”
More to follow…
Umar Farooq is ESPNcricinfo’s Pakistan correspondent
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo