First ODI on schedule after Covid-19 scare in Sri Lanka camp
Two of the three members of the Sri Lanka contingent who had previously tested positive returned negative tests on Sunday
ESPNcricinfo staff
23-May-2021
Doubt had been cast on the series when the three positive tests had come back • Getty Images
The first ODI between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh went ahead after two of the three members of the Sri Lanka contingent who tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday night returned negative tests on Sunday. A third member of the squad tested positive twice but is understood to have had Covid-19 sometime over the past few months, so his returning positive tests was described by a team doctor as "normal".
At any rate, concerns that the tour might be called off and Sri Lanka would return home have been allayed, for now.
Doubt had been cast on the series when the three positive tests had come back, particularly as medical professionals on the Sri Lanka side expressing concern over aspects of the bubble that had been set up for the touring party. Sri Lanka had been especially wary of the positive test results, with a limited-overs tour of England also coming up next month.
News of the two false positives came through less than 90 minutes before the scheduled toss time for the first ODI, in Dhaka. BCB president Nazmul Hassan indicated during the game's mid-innings break that things were under control. "We have an ICC guideline, as well as an agreement between the two boards. It mentions everything, including what happens when someone tests positive. Which doctor will look into it. Where to do the tests. Everything is in the protocol.
"For example, in the case of Sri Lanka, three tested positive. But they tested negative before. Within our bio-bubble, it is impossible to see someone go from negative to positive. But it can still happen. We isolated the three, none of whom had any symptoms. When we tested them a second time, it was negative. One had positive. What we believe is that since he recovered from Covid recently, his dead RNAs were detected in the PCR [test]. We have sent for a third test.
"The same thing happened with our Khaled Mahmud. His last test before entering the bio-bubble was positive. His next two tests are both negative. We have protocols in place. We are not worried, but remain alert.
"There is no problem between us and the Sri Lanka board. We are happy with the system."