IPL 2021: Australians 'safely transported' from India to Maldives - CA

New Delhi, May 6: The Australian cricketers and support staff, participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Thursday (May 6) arrived in the Maldives safely where they'll serve out the waiting period before they can board a flight to Australia. The franchises made arrangements for the foreign players of the teams to leave by charter planes.

Cricket Australia confirmed on Thursday (May 6), that all the stranded Australian players and staff, except Mike Hussey, involved in the tournament have been "safely transported" to the Maldives.

CA reiterated that the board will not seek exemption for the players from the government, adding that Australians will be stationed in the Maldives until the conclusion of the travel pause.

IPL 2021: COVID-19 positive CSK duo Hussey and Balaji flown to Chennai in air ambulance

The Australian board also thanked BCCI for flying out their players and staff out of India within two days of the IPL 2021 postponement.

"We can confirm that Australian players, coaches, match officials and commentators have been safely transported from India and are en route to the Maldives," CA said.

Official Update | We can confirm that Australian players, coaches, match officials and commentators have been safely transported from India and are en route to the Maldives. pic.twitter.com/mZQT2RlvBv

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) May 6, 2021

The 2021 edition of the IPL was suspended after four players -- SunRisers Hyderabad batsman Wriddhiman Saha, Delhi Capitals' spinner Amit Mishra and KKR's Varun Chakravarthy and Sandeep Warrier -- tested positive for COVID-19 in the bio-bubble.

Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings' batting coach Mike Hussey and bowling coach L Balaji have been flown into the city from Delhi in an air ambulance as they recover from COVID-19, a top franchise official said on Thursday.

Hussey and Balaji were among the prominent non-playing staff to test positive when the IPL was "indefinitely suspended" on Tuesday, following multiple COVID-19 cases inside the bio-bubble.

"We decided to bring Hussey and Balaji to Chennai by an air ambulance as we have better contacts here and wanted to ensure better medical facilities in case of any need," the CSK official told PTI.

He further said the duo was "asymptomatic and doing fine." The CSK official said Hussey would have to wait for a COVID-19 negative report to be able to leave the country.

"Hussey has to wait and get a COVID negative report before he can leave India. We will make arrangements for a charter when it is safe for him to fly," the official added.