Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, Sam Billings, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler return to England, currently in 10-day mandatory hotel quarantine

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At least eight English cricketers, who were playing for various IPL teams, have returned to England and are currently staying in a government-approved hotel for a 10-day quarantine. These cricketers include Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Chris Woakes, Sam Billings, Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler.

England’s World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan and all-rounder Chris Jordan are also likely to leave India within the next 24 hours.

The British government had last month imposed a travel ban for non-British citizens and residents in light of the deadly new wave of the pandemic. India was included among the red-list countries meaning that even British citizens and residents wishing to travel to the United Kingdom will have to spend 10 days in a government-approved hotel. Travellers would have to spend £ 1,750 pound per person over and above their cost of flight tickets.

They would have to test themselves for the virus on the second and the eighth day during their hotel stay. They would be allowed to return home only after both their tests return negative, failing which they would be required to spend another 10 days in the hotel with additional costs.

An ECB spokesperson was quoted by the BBC as saying, “We are in close contact with our players and staff in India as arrangements are put in place for them to return home safely.”

English players were forced to return to their country after the BCCI decided to postpone the IPL indefinitely as several players tested positive for the virus.

India is going through the deadly wave of the pandemic, which has left tens of thousands of people dead across India. Most people have died due to the lack of access to hospital beds or liquid oxygen.

Elsewhere, Cricket Australia has decided to airlift its citizens, around 38 of them, from India to shift them to either Sri Lanka or the Maldives before they could safely return to Australia. The Australian government has banned travel from India for its citizens. Anybody found to be violating the rule would face a fine of A $66,000 or five-year jail term or both.

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