PCB's penny-pinching on air travel behind players catching Covid-19: report

The Pakistan Cricket Board's (PCB) decision to send Shaheens squad to New Zealand in an economy class flight rather than business could be the reason why the national contingent is hit by Covid-19 despite them clearing multiple tests in Pakistan, Daily Express reported on Saturday.

Seven members of the touring party have so far tested positive in the opening round of tests conducted in New Zealand. That coupled with their Covid-19 protocol violations have invited intense criticism from New Zealand authorities and become a source of embarrassment back home.

The Urdu publication, citing its sources, stated that the Pakistan Cricket Board and New Zealand authorities have been trying to solve the mystery of quite how the players were found infected when they were dispatched from Pakistan virus-free.

The most viable theory is that the PCB had split up the seniors and Shaheens squads into two: sending the former on the far more expensive business class and the latter in self-explanatory economy class - possibly in a bid to save up money.

The paper's theory further states that while the plane's business class was reserved for cricketers only, the Shaheens travelled with general public. Hence, they could have caught the virus there, before transmitting the same to the members of the seniors squad when reunited at airport lounge.

It is pertinent to mention that the PCB has sent to New Zealand a giant 34-man playing squad, which comprises the seniors and Shaheens but their players would remain interchangeable for each other.

READ: ‘We don’t need you’: Shoaib Akhtar hits back at New Zealand Cricket

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