Pakistan squad’s player tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of South Africa tour

LAHORE – A total of 35 tests were conducted on the South Africa-bound Pakistan men’s national cricket team on Tuesday, 16 March. All squad members have tested negative, except for one player, said Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday.

Those who have tested negative will now assemble in Lahore on Thursday, 18 March, for the training camp, which will commence at the Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.

The player who has tested positive will undergo a repeat test on Thursday at his residence. If he tests negative, only then he will be eligible to travel to Lahore where he will remain in isolation for two more days before being retested.

Last week, the PCB has announced squads for upcoming tours to South Africa and Zimbabwe.

PCB’s Chief Selector Mohammad Wasim named the squad at a presser held at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

Pakistan is scheduled to play a series comprising three one-day internationals and four Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against South Africa from April 2 till April 16.

After wrapping up the South Africa tour, the team will head to Zimbabwe to play three T20Is and two Tests against the host team.

Mohammad Hafeez and Shadab Khan have made entry to the T20 squad as they were earlier dropped for the matches against South Africa.

The PCB has also named Mohamamad Wasim Jr and Arshad Iqbal, the emerging players, in the squad as they displayed impressive performance in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Mohamamad Wasim Jr has also been named in the ODI team.

Celebrated leg spinner Yasir Shah has been included in the Test squad due to his injury.

Mutlan Sutlans key bowler Shahnawaz Dahani, who earned praises for his achievement in the PSL 2021, has been named in Test.

ODI squad: Babar Azam, Imam-ul-Haq, Fakhar Zaman, Abdullah Shafique, Haider, Danish Aziz, Saud Shakil, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Shadab Khan, Mohammad, Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Usman Qadir.

T20I squad: Babar Azam, Shadab Khan, Sharjeel Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Haider Ali, Danish Aziz, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Faheem Ashraf, Mohamamad Wasim Jr, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali, Arshad Iqbal, Usman Qadir.

Test squad: Babar Azam, Imran Butt, Abid Ali, Abdullah Shafique, Azhar Ali, Fawad Alam, Saud Shakeel, Agha Salman, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf, Tabish Khan, Hasan Ali, Shahnawaz Dahani, Nauman Ali, Zahid Mehmood, Sajid Khan.