Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
Sunrisers Hyderabad have brought in medium pacer Umran Malik as a short-term COVID-19 replacement for T Natarajan for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign. Notably, Natarajan had tested positive for COVID-19 before the team’s opening fixture of UAE leg against Delhi Capitals on September 22.
It is worth noting that under the Regulation 6.1 (c) of IPL, franchises are allowed to sign a short-term replacement player until the original squad member is permitted to re-enter the team's bio-secure environment. Hence, Malik will only be a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad side until Natarajan recovers and is allowed to join the team.
Right-arm pacer Umran Malik has played only one T20 and one List A match for Jammu & Kashmir. In his solitary T20 game, Malik bagged three wickets which he played earlier this year against the Railways.
Notably, he is already part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad side as a net bowler. The announced was made after Sherfane Rutherford left the IPL bio-bubble on Thursday following his father's demise.
Vijay Shankar & 5 other close contacts of Natarajan under isolation
After Natarajan tested positive for COVID-19, six more were deemed as close contacts and were put under isolation. However, those six players alongside other players of the team and support staff members tested negative for the dreaded virus. Consequently, the match between SRH and DC took place on Wednesday as scheduled.