Bottled water suspected in T20 illness outbreak

Wednesday, 26 September 2012 01:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka has been hit by suspicions that bottled water supplied to players by the International Cricket Council is behind a gastro illness that affected at least three teams at the event.

The ICC declined to comment last night but it’s believed the brand of bottled water provided to the teams has been changed in recent days and that an investigation was underway on Monday night.

Australian bowlers Mitchell Starc and Brad Hogg were struck down with flu-like symptoms, gastro and headaches but recovered in time to play the West Indies at Premadasa Stadium on Saturday.

A virus also swept through the New Zealand and South Africa camps. Black Caps paceman Tim Southee was hospitalised and treated for dehydration.

The ICC’s official supplier is Pepsi but its brand of water is not sold in Sri Lanka so it is understood an alternative brand was provided for the tournament.

The ICC has also been confronted with questions about the timing of the tournament, which coincides with the monsoon season in Sri Lanka. One game, between the host nation and South Africa on Saturday, was reduced to seven overs a side while the Duckworth-Lewis method decided Australia’s group match against the West Indies.