Australian cricketers Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson have managed to get on a charter plane to take them home after pulling out of the Indian Premier League amid growing concerns over the Covid-19 crisis in the country. They first landed in Doha, Qatar, after departing from India.
Zampa and Richardson, teammates at the Royal Challengers Bangalore, were expected to reach Australia later on Thursday, said a spokesman for the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA), the players union.
There were concerns that the pair were stranded after the Australian government suspended flights from India until May 15 to prevent virulent Covid-19 variants from entering the country. However, that does not appear to be the case.
About 40 Australians remain involved in the IPL as players, coaches, officials and commentators, but Prime Minister Scott Morrison said they would not be allowed to jump the queue for repatriation flights when they resume.
India recorded 3,60,960 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday, the world's largest single-day total, and the death toll surged past 2,00,000 amid shortages of hospital beds and medical oxygen.
Zampa and Richardson, who bowl for Australia's limited-overs sides, were able to secure seats on a charter flight organised by another party, The Australian newspaper reported.
The ACA said on Wednesday it was having "conversations" with governing body Cricket Australia and the Australian government on how to repatriate cricketers from India at the end of the IPL.
The regular IPL season ends on May 23, with play-offs to follow before the final on May 30.
IPL organisers have faced mounting criticism from pundits and on social media for pushing ahead with the tournament, which is being played in a biosecure bubble amid the health crisis.
A senior Indian cricket board official told Reuters on Wednesday that the IPL would continue as it was providing solace and entertainment to people during hard times.
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