Three Pakistani players test positive for COVID-19

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that three Pakistan squad members for England tour, Haider Ali, Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan have tested positive for COVID-19.

According to PCB officials,  the players had shown no symptoms until they were tested in Rawalpindi on Sunday ahead of the Pakistan men’s national cricket team’s tour to England.

“The PCB medical panel is in contact with the three who have been advised to immediately go into self-isolation,” said the PCB officials.

Imad Wasim and Usman Shinwari, also screened in Rawalpindi, have tested negative and, as such, will travel to Lahore on 24 June.

The other players and team officials, barring Cliffe Deacon, Shoaib Malik and Waqar Younis, underwent tests at their respective centers in Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar on Monday.

Their results are expected at some stage on Tuesday, which will also be announced by the PCB through its usual channels.

The team is most likely to leave for England on June 28 on a chartered flight to be arranged by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the hosts of the series, comprising three Tests and as many T20Is, to be held in August and September. 

After reaching England, the squad is likely to stay in Birmingham for a 14-day quarantine period before starting the camp training.