Finn Allen, a cricketer of New Zealand’s squad for their five-match twenty20 series against Bangladesh has tested covid-19 positive, a statement from New Zealand Cricket said.
Allen, a top-order batsman who was playing for the Birmingham Phoenix in the first edition of ‘’The 100’’ at the U.K, reached Dhaka on August 22 from there along with Collin De Grandhome, who is also in the squad for the Bangladesh series.
“Allen, who represented the Birmingham Phoenix in England’s new Hundred competition, is fully vaccinated and passed all his pre-departure tests in England - before testing positive 48 hours after arrival in Dhaka.
He has been quarantined at the team’s hotel and immediate advice is that he is experiencing moderate symptoms”, reads the statement from NZC.
Earlier, Bangladesh Cricket Board physician Debashish Chowdhury told The Business Post that they will hand over the Covid test results only to NZC and on Tuesday it was revealed that Finn is infected with the Covid-19 virus.
Allen is receiving treatment from the BCB’s chief medical officer and has been in contact with NZC’s chief medical officer and will be monitored during his stay in quarantine by BLACKCAPS doctor Pat McHugh.
Once he has undergone treatment and the statutory period of isolation and has tested negative for Covid-19 on consecutive days, he will be cleared to re-join his teammates.
said from Dhaka he was in constant contact with Allen and was confident the Wellington Firebirds right-hander was receiving the best of care from the Bangladesh authorities.
“It’s really unfortunate for Finn,” said Blackcaps manager Mike Sandle “He’s comfortable at the moment and hopefully he’ll recover quickly; test negative and be cleared and approved for discharge as soon as possible’’, he was quoted on the NZC website.
Sandle said Allen flew from Heathrow on an Emirates flight and that team officials had notified the airline of his circumstances, as well as being in contact with his family in New Zealand.
“The Bangladesh cricket authorities have been extremely professional in their response and we’re grateful to them for that,” he said.
“They’re treating the matter very seriously.”
Sandle said the New Zealand-based members of the BLACKCAPS, who departed Auckland on Monday night, had just arrived in Dhaka and would now undergo a minimum three-day period of in-room isolation.
A decision on whether Allen will be replaced in the squad has not yet been made.
