In a major scare ahead of Asia Cup 2023, two Sri Lankan players have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19. With strict protocols long withdrawn, the life in sports world and anywhere else was believed back to normal. However, the dreaded virus has come back to haunt us again as two players testing positive pose a major threat to the tournament. As per Sri Lankan reporter Danushka Aravinda, opening batter Avishka Fernando and wicket-keeper batter Kusal Perera have both tested positive for COVID-19 with less than a week left for the Asia Cup 2023 to get underway. The tournament is being hosted in a hybrid model this year with Pakistan and Sri Lanka staging the matches.
While Pakistan will host four games, the remaining matches, including those involving India will be played in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka are scheduled to open their campaign against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Stadium in Pallekele on August 31. The Islanders will then lock horns with Afghanistan in their second game on September 05.Fernando had also tested positive for the contagious virus in February last year ahead of Sri Lanka’s ODI series against Zimbabwe. He was infected two weeks after being administered with a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Meanwhile, Perera tested positive for the virus in August 2021 ahead of Sri Lanka’s limited-overs series against South Africa at home. Asia Cup 2023 is all set to get underway from August 30 with Pakistan locking horns with Nepal in the opener in Multan. With the 2023 ODI World Cup in India later this year, the Asia Cup which will be played in the fifty-over format this year, will serve as the perfect preparatory ground for the teams participating in the competition. India are to play all their matches in Sri Lanka and will be wary of the COVID-19 threat ahead of the all-important World Cup. India will open their Asia Cup campaign with a blockbuster clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on Saturday, September 02.
