IPL 2021: Afghanistan's Rashid, Nabi join Sunrisers in UAE

Afghanistan's star spinner Rashid Khan and all-rounder Mohammad Nabi have joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad squad ahead of second leg of IPL in the UAE.

The two players will be in quarantine for six days before they are allowed to join their team-mates for the practice session, ahead of the second leg of IPL, which starts on September 19.

“They are very much in UAE and undergoing quarantine. They are not just professionals; they are family and the team will take complete care of them not just during the tournament but at all times. The management will ensure they are in the best frame of mind and perform to the best of their ability," the source revealed.

Earlier, Rashid had decided to step down from the captaincy of the national team after the spinner claimed that his "consent" was not obtained before announcing the squad for ICC men's T20 World Cup slated to be played in UAE and Oman.

Meanwhile, the PL players coming in from the Caribbean Premier League and the South Africa-Sri Lanka series will undergo two-day isolation before they join their respective team bubbles. The bubble-to-bubble transfer means they will not need to quarantine for six days with an eye on COVID-19.

Sources said the players will undergo isolation and get their COVID-19 test done before they join teammates in the bubble.

"The players coming in from the bubbles in CPL and from the SA-SL series will undergo two days of isolation. They will come in and go into their rooms on the first day, they will then get tested the next day and once the results come in, they will join the squad members in the bubble," the source said.

The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with opening match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings.