BCCI to continue with strict COVID-19 policies, positive cases to be isolated

IPL 2023: With less than two weeks to go before the commencement of the Indian Premier League 2023 season, it is now revealed that the BCCI will have strict COVID-19 protocols that are to be followed during the tournament. As reported by ANI, players who return with positive COVID-19 test results will undergo a seven-day isolation period. While the 2023 edition is slated to kickstart from March 31, 2023, the development was confirmed by ESPNCricinfo on Saturday.

The IPL match guidelines which were distributed to teams this week, read, “While there has been a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in India we still have to be careful of the emerging strains which are becoming a concern at regular intervals. Positive cases must be isolated for maximum of seven days. Positive cases will not be allowed to participate in any match or any form of activity/event during the period of isolation.”

When can the players testing positive for COVID-19 join their teams back?
“From day five, they can undergo a RT-PCR, provided they must be must be asymptomatic without any medication for 24 hours. Once the first result is negative the 2nd test must be done 24 hours apart. Only after obtaining two negative RT-PCR tests 24 hours apart i.e. day five and day six, can they rejoin the group,” the guidelines further added.

IPL mentioned that players showing symptoms of COVID-19 will undergo tests, while asymptomatic players will not take the tests. Players testing positive will have to return with two negative tests 12 hours apart in order to rejoin the teams. The COVID-19 protocols to be followed this year are much more relaxed as compared to IPL 2022 when teams and players were restricted to stay in bio-bubbles and play in the cluster caravan format.

16th edition of IPL to be played in home and away format
While IPL 2022 was played at only four venues in Mumbai, the 2023 edition will be played across 12 cities. This is the first time since the 2019 season that the tournament will be played in a home-and-away format. IPL 2023 will feature a total of 70 league-stage games from March 31, 2023 to May 21, 2023. The schedule and venues for the IPL 2023 playoffs are yet to be released by the governing body.