Karachi: Following the announcement yesterday that three players had tested positive for Covid-19, the Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday confirmed that a further seven players and a player support personnel from a total of 35 have tested positive for Covid-19. The PCB had organized these 35 tests in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar on Monday.
Players who have tested positive are: Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz
However Player who have tested negative are: Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmad, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Naseem Shah, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, and Yasir Shah.
“It is not a great situation to be in and what it shows is these are 10 fit and young athletes…if it can happen to players it can happen to anyone,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO, Wasim Khan told a media conference.
He said a support staff member, masseur Malang Ali, had also tested positive for COVID-19.
Khan said that the players and officials would now assemble in Lahore and another round of tests would be carried out on June 25 and a revised squad would be announced the next day.
However, PCB chief executive Wasim Khan says the tour of England will go ahead as scheduled despite ten players testing positive for Covid-19. “The tour to England is very much on track and the side will depart as per schedule on 28 June. Fortunately, all the first-choice red-ball squad, barring Mohammad Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training and practicing immediately after they have been tested and given all clear when they arrive in England
The squad must leave on June 28 for the series scheduled to be held next month, he said.
“It is a matter of concern, but we shouldn’t panic at this time as we have time on our hands,” Khan said.
He said the players and officials would be retested on reaching England.