Touring BD, 8 Afghan cricketers test positive for Covid-19

KABUL (Pajhwok): Currently touring Bangladesh, eight Afghan cricketers have been diagnosed with Covid-19, says a media report.

The eight players tested positive ahead of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh three-match One-Day International (ODI) and two-match T20I series.

The Daily Star reported on Tuesday that apart the eight cricketers, three members of the touring side’s support staff had also tested positive.

With the positive cases isolated, the rest of players took part in the week-long training camp in Sylhet on the opening day.

At the completion of the training camp, the visitors will move to Chattogram, which will host all three ODIs at the Zahur Ahmed Cricket Stadium.

The ODI opener will be played on February 23. The second and the third ODI are penciled in for February 25 and 28.

The T20I matches will be played at the Sher-i-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, on March 3 and March 5.

The players, who have contracted the virus, will undergo tests in five to seven days. If they test negative, the eight cricketers can start training.

Afghanistan’s ODI team is comprised of Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), Rahmat Shah, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Riaz Hassan, Najibullah Zadran, Shahid Kamal, Ikram Alikhil, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Azmat Omarzai, Rashid Khan, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Yamin Ahmadzai and Farid Ahmad Malik.

PAN Monitor/mud