(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Sri Lanka Cricket authorities have focused their attention on sending a special aircraft to bring the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team stuck in Zimbabwe to the island.
Shammi Silva, President of Sri Lanka Cricket, said discussions are underway with the airlines to bring the team home.
“Steps will be taken to bring back the Sri Lanka women’s team from Zimbabwe,” he said.
With the ban on the tourists from several Southern African countries entering the country, it has become difficult to bring the Sri Lankan women’s cricket team from Zimbabwe.
After the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant in South Africa that prompted travel curbs, the International Cricket Council abandoned the women’s cricket World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe
Six Sri Lanka women cricketers who took part in a World Cup qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe and an official of the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team currently staying in the country have been infected with the coronavirus. They are not reported to be infected with the rapidly spreading Omicron variant of the virus in the African region.
However, even if the other athletes were brought to the island, the repatriation of the six athletes and the official infected with the COVID-19 virus would be delayed.
The President of Sri Lanka Cricket stated that action will be taken to bring them back to the island after the quarantine period is over. He also said that after bringing the other athletes to the Katunayake airport, they would follow the instructions of the health authorities.
