New Zealand cricketers in India are anxiously awaiting flights out of the country in the grip of a Covid-19 crisis, following the IPL's suspension last night. But when and how that will be carried out remains to be seen.
New Zealand Cricket Players Association CEO Heath Mills told 1 NEWS this afternoon the situation is "fluid" at the moment after multiple cases of Covid-19 in IPL teams were confirmed over the last two days, but they are working with NZ Cricket and other authorities to get players out of India as soon as possible.
"They're all pretty anxious now with what's happened in the last 24, 48 hours," Mills told 1 NEWS.
"The players are anxious and pretty keen to get back to New Zealand for those who are coming here and those who are travelling on to the UK, are keen to get to the UK safely.
"They're pretty vulnerable and keen to get going."
Mills said players are being tested daily and so far no New Zealanders have returned a positive test as they now stay in their rooms, effectively in lockdown, while they wait for a ticket out.
That ticket isn't an easy thing to come by though, Mills added.
"The logistics of getting them back to New Zealand or the group to the UK is a real challenge," he said.
"The group going to the UK, NZC are working with the English cricket board and they're doing a great job working as fast as they can to organise an effective transfer but that's not easy with players in different parts of India and trying to coordinate them on to one plane.
"So I'm not sure we'll have a definitive answer on what that will look like for the next 24 to 48 hours."
Players looking to head to the UK include the Black Caps quartet selected for the England tour and World Test Championship final - Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner - as well as the Kiwi trio of Jimmy Neesham, Finn Allen and Lockie Ferguson who will be playing Twenty20 Blast once they get there.
The rest are looking to return to New Zealand although that task is proving just as difficult to organise despite everyone believed to have already organised MIQ tickets.
"Some IPL franchises have been very proactive and there, hopefully, may be a charter flight bringing some of them back [to New Zealand] over the next 24 to 48 hours but that still hasn't been confirmed.
"Others will have to go through commercial airlines through another port like Doha to get back.
"But as I sit here now, nothing is confirmed and it's a pretty fluid situation."
Mills added players aren't looking to jump queues or push their cases ahead of others though.
"The players are no different to anyone else and they certainly don't expect any special treatment," he said.
"They know they're there under their own steam and we just need to try and help them get back."
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