Lahore
Senior all-rounder Mohammad Hafeez has said he has tested negative for the coronavirus a day after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said he was among seven more players who had tested positive for the virus.
“After tested positive COVID-19 according to PCB testing report yesterday, as second opinion and for satisfaction I personally went to test it again along with my family, Hafeez said.
The 39-year-old added that his family had also tested negative and attached a picture of his medical report in the tweet.
The PCB on Tuesday had said a total of 10 players, including Hafeez, had tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of Pakistan’s tour to England.
Other players who tested positive for the virus include Fakhar Zaman, Imran Khan, Kashif Bhatti, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Rizwan, and Wahab Riaz. Apart from the seven players, one support personnel — the masseur — also contracted the illness after the cricket body had 35 tests carried out for COVID-19 in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
Pakistan’s Test and limited-overs squads will tour England for three Tests and three T20 internationals. They will fly out this month before going into quarantine ahead of the first Test starting on July 30.
England director of cricket Ashley Giles has said that the tour is expected to go ahead. “I don’t think the series is in doubt,” he said. “We are far enough away from the start of the Test series to not worry about that too much at the moment.
“There are some more test results coming out later from the rest of the group so we will see what that says, but we are still hopeful that the Pakistan team will be arriving in the country fairly soon,” he added
England managing director Ashley Giles is quite confident that Pakistan’s tour of England in August will go ahead as per plan, despite three Pakistani cricketers testing positive for coronavirus.
More virus results from the Pakistan camp are expected later on Tuesday. Giles expressed his concern, particularly for the Pakistan players who had tested positive, but told a conference call he remains upbeat.
“I don’t think the series is in doubt,” he said. “We are far enough away from the start of the Test series to not worry about that too much at the moment.
“There are some more test results coming out later from the rest of the group so we will see what that says, but we are still hopeful that the Pakistan team will be arriving in the country fairly soon.”
Cancelling the Pakistan series could cost the England and Wales Cricket Board an estimated £80 million ($100 million) in lost broadcast revenue..—Agencies