TKR foreign players continue Hilton Hotel quarantine

ALL SIX foreign players representing the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) at this year’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament have begun their first seven days of quarantine at the Hilton Hotel, St Ann’s.

Colin Munro, Tim Seifert (both from New Zealand), Fawad Ahmed (Australia), Praven Tambe (India), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) and Ali Khan (USA) arrived in Trinidad earlier this week and have already commenced their mandatory quarantine period to ensure participation at the 2020 CPL (Caribbean Premier League).

Meanwhile local TKR players such as skipper Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine and Lendl Simmons took part in a practice match against the TT Red Force at the Queen’s Park Oval, St Clair on Thursday.

TKR manager Colin Borde said the foreigners are each currently confined to one room and remain under quarantine until Tuesday. They have already been presented with special workout programmes by team coach Brendon McCullum.

“All the foreign-based players have arrived and are in quarantine and comfortable. The local boys have been training and are very enthusiastic about playing and meeting up with the players from abroad. The overseas players are confined to one room and are under quarantine until August 11,” said Borde.

On August 18, the annual tournament bowls off with TKR against Guyana Amazon Warriors at the Oval. Prior to confirmation of TT as hosts, players and franchises alike were sceptical if the tourney would have been held due to the global covid19 pandemic.

According to Borde, the excitement and anticipation is building among the TKR camp ahead of tournament, which will be staged without spectators.

“I know a lot of the guys are meeting up after some time away (from each other) as well. The energy and focus is getting stronger with each passing day. Players are running into the fact that it’s getting closer to game time and are all eager to be back out playing. It’s always interesting to see the change in focus as we get closer as players begin to internalise the processes of preparatory work,” he noted.

Borde also expressed confidence with the Ministry of Health and CPL officials for their implementation of a bio-secure environment at the Hilton Hotel. This was done to increase player/team safety of both local and international players and to decrease the spread of covid19.

“We are very confident in the bio-secure protocols that have been put in the Hilton and expect as we go along to learn more about how we make the best of it. It’s all new to everyone but we are guided by the rules put in place,” he concluded.