PCB Announces 20-Member Squad for the England Tour, Leaves out 10 Players Who Tested Positive

Pakistan Cricket Board has released the final list of the players that comprises of 20 members who will be flying to England on Sunday. The Board conducted rigorous testing of the players and did not make the final list unless and until they tested negative of the deadly virus. 

A total of 10 Pakistani players have tested positive of the coronavirus and they have been dropped from the upcoming tour of England. Pakistan is set to tour England for three tests and as many T20I matches in July. The side will be led by Azhar Ali in Tests and Babar Azam in the limited-overs series. 

Earlier, England and Wales Cricket Board had announced that the Pakistan cricket team will be reaching in the UK on Sunday to start its preparation for their summer season tour of England. 

The ECB is yet to announce the dates of the matches that will be conducted behind-closed-doors across three different venues. 

“They (Pakistan team) will start a 14-day isolation period at Blackfinch New Road, Worcester before transferring to Derbyshire’s The Incora County Ground on July 13 to accelerate their preparation ahead of the first Test, which will include two four-day internal warm-up matches,” stated the ECB. 

Mohammad Hafeez tested negative for the virus for yet another time after testing positive of the coronavirus in the first test. He has still not been included in the squad for the tour.

The list of the 20-Member squad includes Azhar Ali, Babar Azam, Abid Ali, Asad Shafiq, Faheem Ashraf, Fawad Alam, Iftikhar Ahmad, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Abbas, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Rohail Nazir, Sarfaraz Ahmed, Shaheen Afridi, Shan Masood, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari and Yasir Shah.