In what comes as bad news for Australian cricket and its fans, star Baggy Greens spinner Adam Zampa has tested positive for the dreaded Covid-19 hours before the team's T20 World Cup clash against Sri Lanka, scheduled to be played on October 25 (Tuesday), cricket.com.au announced on its official Twitter handle. The development puts the leg-spinner's participation in the match against the Islanders in jeopardy and the defending champions are now sweating over Zampa's health.
What's important to note here is that Australia lost their T20 World Cup campaign opener against New Zealand by a massive margin of 89 runs and they can't afford to make any more mistakes in order to ensure their progression into the semi-finals. Zampa is one of the most important figures in the Aussie T20I side and if he misses the game against Sri Lanka, it could spell doom for Aaron Finch's side.
Having said that, cricket.com.au had earlier announced that players who test positive for Covid-19 will be allowed to participate in the T20 World Cup matches. the rules have been significantly relaxed as players won't be subjected to mandatory Covid tests during the course of the tournament. Furthermore, if a player contracts the dreaded virus, he won't have to serve a mandatory isolation period as well. In such a scenario when a player contracts the virus, the team doctors will have to assess whether 'it is appropriate' for the player to participate in the match.
The teams will have the luxury to make changes to their squad in case a player tests positive for the virus. Once the player recovers from the disease, he can then make his way back into the squad.
Earlier in the tournament, Ireland all-rounder George Dockrell took the field against Sri Lanka despite testing positive for Covid-19.
