CPL 2020: Franchises unhappy as Trinidad-based players train outside bio-secure bubble

Bengaluru, August 12: The Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2020) is still about a week ago. But slight discord has rattled the eighth edition of the tournament as several franchises have expressed concern about some players being allowed to train in the open, well outside the bio-secure bubble that is put in place in view of the Covid 19 crisis.

Some of the Trinidad and Tobago-based players and coaching staff, most of them who represent the Trinbago Knight Riders, have remained outside the bubble ahead of the tournament, as per a report in the ESPNCricinfo.

The CPL officials have announced that Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Zouks were allowed to train outside and the local Trinidad players were tested negative for Covid 19 and they will be entering the bio-secure bubble this week itself.

Zouks skipper Daren Sammy expressed his displeasure over some players are being allowed to stay and train outside the bubble but he refrained taking the names of players or team.

"How can everybody else be in a bubble no access to training or practice games while others on the outside in a covid infected area be training and playing practice games. Then allow to join the bubble without self isolation," wrote Sammy in his official Twitter handle.

"Everyone should have been in the bubble from day 1. That the only way you can guarantee everyone's health and safety is not compromised. But hey I'm no covid expert," he added.

Apart from St Lucia Zouks even defending champions Barbados Tridents too have approached the CPL officials with the complaint that the local players are given permission to stay outside the bubble. Their bone of contention is that apart from such moves increasing health risks along with giving an unfair advantage to players who train while others are confined to the hotel rooms. CPL 2020 will be beginning on August 18.