IPL 2021, KKR vs RCB: Clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore postponed after two KKR members test positive | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, scheduled to be played today (Monday, May 3) has been postponed. The decision was taken after two KKR team members tested positive for COVID-19.
IPL sent out a press release confirming the same, saying, “IPL reschedules KKR-RCB match slated for May 3, 2021 after 2 KKR players test positive. Varun Chakaravarthy and Sandeep Warrier were found to be positive in the third round of testing in the last four days. All other team members have tested negative for COVID -19″.
“Both the players have isolated themselves from the rest of the squad. The Medical Team is in continuous touch with the duo and are monitoring their health. Meanwhile, the Kolkata Knight Riders have now moved towards a daily testing routine to identify any other possible cases and treat them at the earliest,” the release said.

“The Medical Team is also determining the close and casual contacts of the two positive cases during the 48 hours prior to collection of the sample that returned the positive test results. The BCCI and the Kolkata Knight Riders prioritise the health and safety of everyone involved and all measures are being taken in that endeavour,” the release further said.
The date for the postponed match hasn’t been decided yet.

This is the first instance of Covid disrupting the IPL schedule this season.
The Virat Kohli-led RCB team are third on the points table, with 5 wins in 7 matches, while Kolkata Knight Riders are languishing in 7th place, with 2 wins in their 7 outings so far.

KKR last played on April 29 against Delhi Capitals in Ahmedabad and the development is bound to trigger some anxiety in the league, which had been going along smoothly so far.
“Now, the DC players will also have to be tested and every member of the team contingents that came in contact with Chakravarthy and Warrier will also be contact-traced through the app watch that has been given to everyone,” a source told PTI.
“The other members of KKR contingent have tested negative but since the second RTPCR report of these two cannot be out before evening, the match couldn’t have gone ahead,” he added.
It is learnt that KKR’s pace spearhead Pat Cummins revealed the latest development to all the Australian players in the IPL after Chakravarthy, while undergoing some shoulder scans for a niggle, tested positive for the virus.
He has appeared in all KKR matches and been one of their most successful players with seven wickets so far.
IPL had dealt with positive cases before the tournament started, including some high-profile names like Axar Patel and Devdutt Padikkal.
However, this is the first instance of positive cases in the middle of the tournament.
Just days before this, three Australian players had pulled out of the league, citing COVID-19 concerns amid a devastating second wave of the global pandemic that has overwhelmed the medical infrastructure of the country.
India are currently recording over 3 lakh cases everyday and more than 3,000 daily deaths.
(With inputs from PTI)