Sunrisers Hyderabad and Blackcaps captain Kane Williamson's return to cricket was almost thwarted, after teammate T. Natarajan tested positive for COVID-19 on the morning of the team's first match back from the Indian Premier League's hiatus.
The BCCI's medical team identified six close contacts of Natarajan, including all-rounder Vijay Shankar, and all were immediately isolated. The rest of the contingent returned negative tests and the game against Delhi Capitals was cleared to proceed as scheduled.
With India grappling with a surge of COVID-19 cases, the eight-team league was suspended near its halfway stage in May, after two franchises reported several positive cases for the novel coronavirus.
The rest of the league was subsequently shifted to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and re-started on Sunday.
Williamson made 18 runs off 26 balls as part of the Sunrisers' modest score of 134, before he skied a catch to long off. The table-topping Capitals - led by Indian stars Shikhar Dhawan (42) and Shreyas Iyer (47no) - chased down the target in the 18th over.
The 31-year-old hadn't played since the World Test Championship final win over India in June, as he rested an elbow injury.
The Sunrisers currently sit bottom of the IPL ladder.
