As cricket looks resume after a three months break, more trouble awaits for Pakistan Cricket Team. After Haris Rauf, Haider Ali, and Shadab Khan, seven more Pakistan cricketers have been tested COVID-19 positive.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz are the seven players to report COVID-19 positive.
7 Pakistan Cricketers test COVID-19 positive
The players had to undergo a test as a mandatory protocol ahead of their tour to England. Pakistan will fly to England on June 28 for three Tests followed by three T20Is. However, with ten players affected, the tour has landed in deep waters.
However, Pakistan Cricket Board CEO Wasim Khan is confident that the tour of England will go ahead as per schedule. He said that all first-choice Test team players barring Mohammad Rizwan have tested negative for COVID-19.
“The tour is very much on track, the squad will depart as per schedule on 28th. Fortunately, all first-choice red-ball players, barring Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training immediately after they are tested & given all clear when they arrive in the UK,” said PCB CEO Wasim Khan.
Meanwhile, the team was due to arrive five weeks before the start of the tour as the entire squad would remain in a bubble, which means they will not be in direct contact with anyone other than the squad members.
The PCB had earlier planned a preparatory camp in Pakistan. But with the growing cases in the country, it was nearly impossible to have a bio-secure environment. As a result, the PCB decided to hold the camp in England.
