BY KEVIN MAPASURE
ZIMBABWE Cricket and the Afghanistan Cricket Board are set to finalise the dates and venue for their planned Two Test and three T-20 series after sports minister Kirsty Coventry gave the green light for the senior men’s national team to go on tour next month.
ZC applied for permission from the ministry via the Sports and Recreation Commission to undertake the tour which was originally set for India before the United Arab Emirates and Oman were also considered as COVID-19 cases soared in India. The national team will not be expected to go into a bio bubble training camp for at least two weeks before they travel.
Domestic cricket has been banned which means that only a training camp is permissible. The country is currently on lock down and sporting activities are subject to a special dispensation from the government. Yesterday the SRC wrote to ZC informing them that they can embark on the tour but they have to adhere to strict COVID-19 protocols which include a 10 day isolation before travel as well as a 14-day quarantine upon return.
“The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) hereby gives notice, that the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation approved your application for the men’s cricket team to undertake a tour to UAE or India for International Cricket Series against Afghanistan scheduled for February. Please note that the preferred venue should be UAE as opposed to India given the COVID-19 situation in the latter country,” the letter read in part.
“The approval shall, in addition to the requirements specified in Statutory Instrument 200 of 2020 as amended, World Health Organisation guidelines, other legislation and policy directives as well as precautions submitted with your application relating to the prevention and containment of COVID-19, be subject to the following conditions:
- At least a minimum of 10 day bubble required. PCR testing before bubble and before departure.
- Be guided by the Ministry of Health and Child Care on local health measures and government declarations on level of lockdown at the time of the tour.
- Facilitate mandatory testing of all athletes and officials and ensure the production of COVID-19 certificates 48 hours prior to entering camp and valid for 48 hours before leaving camp and or for external travel. Ensure the team strictly adheres to the WHO and Ministry of Health and Child Care protocols for mitigating the spread of COVID-19
- Ensure the team lists for the travelling delegation are submitted for clearance by the SRC before the team’s travel out of Zimbabwe.”
ZC had planned a regional tournament where Notherns would have clashed with Southerns as part of the selection process as for the national team tour.
Selectors will have to use figures from the Pakistan tour late last year as well as the two rounds of Logan Cup matches played before Christmas. It is likely that they will go with most of the players that toured Pakistan. It is understood that bowler Kyle Jarvis has returned to fitness after a lengthy injury lay off and it’s at the selectors discretion to consider him.
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Meanwhile the government also approved the Pakistani national women’s team visit to Zimbabwe starting on February 4.
The Zimbabwe team is also free to start preparations for that tour which will be played behind closed doors at Harare Sports Club.
Follow Kevin on Twitter @KevinMapasure
