Shadab Khan, Haider Ali, and Haris Rauf Test Positive for COVID-19 Ahead Of Pakistan’s Three March T20I Series Against England

Three Pakistan team players have tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the team’s tour to England for the three match T20 series – Haider Ali, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf.

Haider Ali, Sharad Khan, and Haris Rauf test positive for COVID-19

Pakistan Cricket Board has given confirmation that all three players are asymptomatic and now will be undergoing the mandatory isolation period. Two other players were tested for the virus – Imam Wasim and Usman Shinwari. Fortunately, their results came back negative. Other players and officials have undergone the test as well and their results are yet to come in.

Even though Ali, Khan, and Rauf have tested positive, the rest of the players do not have to go into isolation. The only reason is that the team has not begun their practice collectively. However, everyone else who came in contact with either of the three have been asked to immediately follow the protocols of self-isolation.

Pakistan team is preparing to depart for England within a week

The team is due to leave for England in a private chartered flight in less than a week. Upon arrival they will be confining themselves in a bubble where they cannot interact with anyone from the outside. Furthermore, families are not being allowed to join the players mid way through the tour.

Haider Ali, Shadab Khan, and Haris Rauf will not be leaving with the team for England. After the mandatory isolation of 14 days, another test will take place. If the results return as negative, only then the players will take a commercial flight to England to join the team in the bubble. Moreover, once they arrive in England, they will undergo another test for COVID-19. This rule applies to each cricket player.

PCB could not conduct a camp ahead of the series due to the rapid rise in cases in Pakistan. As a result, they had to prepone the team’s departure to England with hopes that the team can set up camp their for practice.