Soumya Sarkar tests positive for Covid-19 just days before BPL

Just days before the beginning of the franchise-based Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), a number of cricketers and supporting staff tested positive for Covid-19. One of them is Soumya Sarkar who is set to play for Khulna Tigers in the tournament. The news has been confirmed to The Business Standard (TBS) by the medical department of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB). 

Soumya is currently in isolation at his residence. But he is keeping alright. His wife Prionty Debnath also tested positive. To be completely sure about it, Soumya will undergo another Covid test.

Six teams are participating in this year's BPL but none of them have entered the bio-secure bubble. The teams were supposed to enter the bubble one by one on 18 January. But now the tournament is in doubt as a number of teams have been affected by Covid-19. 

The teams started practising on 16 January without entering the bio-bubble. Coaches, overseas players are directly joining teams on arrival. No team has followed the Covid-19 quarantine protocols. 

But the teams have to enter the bubble in order to take part in the tournament. For that, the players and staff underwent Covid-19 screening on Monday. After that, a number of players and staff tested positive. But the medical department of the BCB did not tell how many players or staff have been affected by Covid-19.

As of Tuesday evening, the medical department did not receive the reports of everyone. The number of people being affected can increase when it receives the reports of all teams.