While 10 cricketers who were included in the list of players to travel to England as part of Pakistan team for upcoming series tested positive for Coronavirus, there were 16 players who tested negative.
The players who tested negative included Pakistan limited over skipper Babar Azam as well as Pakistan Test skipper Azhar Ali.
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 – have returned negative tests.
As per PCB the players who have tested negative will now assemble in Lahore on June 24 and depart for the tour on June 28. They will also train and practice in a bio-secure facility provided by the England and Wales Cricket Board after being cleared.
“The tour to England is very much on track and the side will depart as per schedule,” PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said.
“Fortunately, all the first-choice red-ball squad, barring Mohammad Rizwan, are negative, which means they can start training and practising immediately after they have been tested and given the all-clear when they arrive in England. In the meantime, Misbah-ul-Haq is reviewing the training schedule in England and is firming up plans for reserve players to be tested as a backup.”
Shoaib Malik, who has been given the permission to join the side late, hasn’t been tested yet along with Cliffe Deacon and Waqar Younis. The players who have tested positive, though, haven’t been ruled out of the tour. Once they recover, they will travel to England and will undergo another test. The PCB has confirmed the players will undergo five Tests before the start of the first Test.
Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan and Wahab Riaz have all tested positive for COVID-19, Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Tuesday (June 23). This after three players – Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Haris Rauf – had tested positive on Monday.