Tim Seifert adds to Delhi's Covid-19 count but their IPL match goes ahead

New Zealand's Tim Seifert on Wednesday tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the sixth member of the Delhi Capitals staff to contract the virus.

Seifert joins Australia's Mitchell Marsh and four support staff members in contracting the virus, but Delhi's Indian Premier League match against Punjab Kings went ahead at Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium.

The Delhi players have taken daily Covid tests since physiotherapist Patrick Farhart tested positive last week and Marsh was admitted to hospital on Monday.

Skipper Rishabh Pant said the Covid cases were "an unfortunate thing we are not going to think about".

Also Read | Delhi Capitals' Mitchell Marsh hospitalised after second RT-PCR test turns positive

"We will find strength among ourselves," he said after Delhi won the toss and elected to field first.

Head coach Ricky Ponting said: "Things have been a bit interrupted with Mitchell Marsh being down with Covid and our session yesterday was pushed back.

"With games like these and tournaments like these, you need the leaders (in the team) to stand up. So far in the tournament, (David) Warner's leadership has been great, Rishabh has been good."

The venue of the ongoing match was moved from Pune to Mumbai and their next league fixture, which was to be held in Pune, against Rajasthan Royals on Friday has been shifted to the Wankhede Stadium.

The league matches in the tournament are being played across four venues in Mumbai and Pune, with 50 percent capacity crowds allowed inside stadiums.

India has recorded a jump in the number of Covid cases in recent weeks but the spike is nowhere near the peak seen between March and May last year.

Thousands of Indians died of Covid every day in 2021, when the IPL began in India but was moved to the United Arab Emirates.

On Tuesday, India's health ministry reported about 2,000 new cases.

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