Eight Afghanistan cricketers test positive for COVID-19 in Bangladesh: Report

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Dhaka, Feb 15 (IANS) Eight cricketers in the Afghanistan squad, currently touring Bangladesh for three ODIs and two T20Is, have reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, eight days before the scheduled start of the series on February 23.

A report in The Daily Star quoting Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) sources said that three members of the touring party's support staff too has tested positive.

"The rest of the members of the (Afghanistan) squad participated in the first day of their week-long camp in Sylhet today (Tuesday) while the ones who have tested positive have been isolated," the report said.

Following the conclusion of their week-long training camp in Sylhet, the squad will shift base to Chattogram where the three ODIs will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Cricket Stadium. The second and third ODI are scheduled for February 25 and 28, respectively.

The teams will then travel to Dhaka for the two-match T20I series, to be hosted at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. The first game will be played on March 3 while the second T20I will be on March 5.

The T20Is will count towards the ICC T20I Rankings, while the ODIs will be part of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Super League.

On Tuesday, Bangladesh included pace-bowling sensation Ebadot Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Yasir Ali and Mahmudul Hasan Joy for the first time in the 15-member ODI squad.

Ebadot was the standout performer in Bangladesh's first Test against New Zealand last month, which the tourists won by eight wickets. Hossain took six second-innings wickets to earn Bangladesh a historic away Test victory in January. New Zealand, though, came back strongly in the second Test to level the two-match series.

--IANS

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