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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
AFGHAN cricketers will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine before they engage the Chevrons here should the Government give the Asians tour the go-ahead signal.

Zimbabwe Cricket have lined up a limited-overs series against Afghanistan and India between July and August.

But, the ZC will first have to get approval from the Government for the tours to go ahead.

On Tuesday, the Windies became the first cricket side to travel,since COVID-19 halted the international cricket programme, when they arrived in England for a Test series.

The first of the three-Test series will get underway on July 8.

The Windies are already in a three-week quarantine at Hilton Garden Inn and they will be training at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground for that duration.

The entire squad was tested before boarding the plane to England and the quarantine is a further measure to ensure the risk of coronavirus spread is reduced.

The series willbe played behind closed doors in “bio-secure grounds”.

And ZC have said they will also have to quarantine the Afghan squad should the tour go ahead as scheuled.

ZC acting managing director, Givemore Makoni, said the cricket mother body will continue disinfecting venues and ensure cricketers and support staff were tested.

“As Zimbabwe Cricket, we have continuously disinfected out stadia while we have also introduced mandatory temperature checks on all players and support staff,” said Makoni.

“We are more likely to test and quarantine Afghanistan on arrival for 14 days before they can begin their tour.

“Important things, including masks and alcohol-based sanitisers, will be made available to players and support staff at each venue while players and members of staff will have to use their own vehicles to and from the grounds and where they share, social distancing will be respected.

“Each member to have their own hand sanitiser. No use of saliva or sweat to shine the ball. Gloves will be put on by anyone handling sports equipment.”

Thirty-three players, led by captain Chamu Chibhabha, have provisionally been drafted ahead of the scheduled matches.

They are all supposed to get tested for COVID-19 before they start training in groups of eight at different locations on Monday. After hosting the Afghans and Indians, if allowed, the Chevrons are then scheduled to tour Australia for the first time in 16 years.