Cricket World Cup 2023: Mandatory seven-day isolation for any player who tests positive to Covid-19

While it has become increasingly normalised for cricketers and other sportspeople globally to play with the coronavirus, DANIEL CHERNY reports the upcoming World Cup will be different.

Cricket World Cup teams have been told that any player diagnosed with Covid-19 during next month’s tournament will be forced to isolate for seven days under Indian health regulations.

While it has become increasingly normalised for cricketers and other sportspeople globally to play with the coronavirus, representatives of participating teams have been briefed by authorities in recent weeks that any player found to have contracted the condition will have to serve a week’s quarantine, likely at a team hotel.

The hard line policy has the potential to lead to a player or support staff member missing multiple matches across the seven-week event.

However sources indicated there would be no random testing, meaning only symptomatic players would be at risk.

An ICC spokesperson said Indian government guidelines would be followed.

“The ICC respects and adheres to government policies of our host territories,” the spokesperson said.

The protocols were in place for this year’s Indian Premier League season.

Players will have to isolate if they test positive at the World Cup. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images for ECB)

That players could be forced to spend a week on the sidelines is a stark contrast to the attitudes displayed over the most recent Australian summer, during which several players kept their spots in teams’ XIs despite positive tests.

That included batter Matt Renshaw, whose return to the Test arena back in January coincided with a Covid diagnosis. Renshaw spent a period of the match sitting by himself on the inside of the fence away from the team dressing room.

Marcus Stoinis and Joe Burns played a match for the Big Bash League’s Melbourne Stars after positive tests.

The timing of the tournament is a legacy of the pandemic, given it was originally due to be held in February and March of 2023 before being pushed to the back of this year as part of an ICC tournament shuffle.

Aussie Matt Renshaw had to isolate during the 2023 Sydney Test after testing positive. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

A group of Australian players had to be evacuated from India during the height of the pandemic after the IPL was postponed in 2021.

Aussie leg-spinner Adam Zampa missed a match at last year’s Twenty20 World Cup after coming down with the virus, although he would have been allowed to play despite the diagnosis under tournament rules.

Australian women’s all-rounder Tahlia McGrath played the 2022 Commonwealth Games Gold Medal match despite a positive diagnosis.

The World Health Organisation says around 45 million people have contracted Covid-19 in India, resulting in more than 500,000 deaths.

Originally published as Cricket World Cup 2023: Mandatory seven-day isolation for any player who tests positive to Covid-19