Pakistan: 3 more West Indies players test positive for COVID-19

Three players are among the five new cases of COVID-19 among the West Indies cricket squad touring Pakistan. The limited-overs tour is in jeopardy with the West Indies now unable to select six players because of coronavirus infections.

ODI skipper Shai Hope, left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and all-rounder Justin Greaves, along with assistant coach Roddy Estwick and team physician Akshai Mansingh, returned positive in the latest round of testing at Karachi. Cricket West Indies said in a statement on Thursday that all three players will remain isolated and miss upcoming matches.

Sheldon Cottrell, Roston Chase, Kyle Mayers and a support staffer were already on a 10-day isolation in Karachi after testing positive for the coronavirus ahead of the Twenty20 series. The latest positive cases further depleted a West Indies squad which was already missing several top players including Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Jason Holder and Evin Lewis, reports Associated Press. The Caribbean squad already trails the three-match Twenty20 series 2-0 with the last game due to be played later on Thursday.

The ODI series is scheduled to begin on the weekend. The West Indies' batting has been particularly hard hit, with only four specialist batters – Twenty20 skipper Nicholas Pooran, Brandon King, Shamarh Brooks and Darren Bravo – available for games. With six players now ruled out due to COVID-19 and batsman Devon Thomas injured, CWI said it will be meeting PCB officials to "determine whether the tour can continue.”