Australian cricketer Lynn requests charter flight home from virus-hit India

SYDNEY, AFP: Batsman Chris Lynn has requested a charter flight home for Australian players after the Indian Premier League, News Corp reported yesterday, as a surge in COVID cases prompted Canberra to suspend passenger flights

Chris Lynn

from India.

India has been ravaged by a record-breaking wave of COVID infections in recent weeks, with an exponential growth in cases and deaths overwhelming hospitals.

Three Australian cricketers have already left the IPL, the world’s richest Twenty20 tournament, which is taking place in biosecure conditions behind closed doors in six cities until the end of May.

Lynn said he asked Cricket Australia for a charter flight when the governing body contacted players about their health and travel plans.

“I texted back that as Cricket Australia make 10% of every IPL contract was there a chance we could spend that money this year on a charter flight once the tournament is over?” Lynn, who plays for Mumbai Indians, told News Corp.

However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned there would be no special treatment for cricketers. Lynn was speaking before Australia suspended flights from India until at least 15 May.

 “They (cricketers) have travelled there privately under those arrangements, this wasn’t part of an Australian tour,” Morrison said.

“They are under their own resources and they’ll be using those resources, I’m sure, to seek to return to Australia in accordance with our own arrangements.”