IPL 2021: Kane Williamson and three other New Zealanders fly to Maldives due to unease over COVID situation in New Delhi

New Delhi: Kane Williamson and three other New Zealanders on Friday flew to Maldives in a departure from their original plan, as they were not feeling comfortable staying in COVID-19 hotspot Delhi.

Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Williamson, Chennai Super Kings’ Mitchell Santer and Royal Challenger Bangalore’s Kyle Jamison and CSK physio Tommy Simsek took a commercial flight to Maldives.

The four were originally supposed to stay in Delhi in a mini bio-bubble till 10 May and take a flight to the UK ahead of the Test series in England and World Test Championship final against India from 18 June.

File image of Kane Williamson. Sportzpics

“Kane and few others from New Zealand were not feeling safe in Delhi because of the COVID situation there. That is why they decided to fly to Maldives,” a Sunrisers Hyderabad official told PTI.

Another Test regular Trent Boult has flown back to New Zealand with the rest of the IPL contingent and will join the team in the UK after spending a week with his family.

Though there is a travel ban from India, New Zealand is allowing its citizens to return home with a mandatory two weeks quarantine.

The Australian contingent has also flown to Maldives after the suspension of the IPL as its government has banned entry of all travellers from India until 15 May.

The IPL was suspended on Tuesday after multiple COVID-19 cases were detected in its bio-bubble.