LAHORE: Australia’s cricket team was weakened by another case of COVID-19 on Tuesday after left-arm spinner Ashton Agar tested positive for the virus just hours before the start of a limited-overs international series in Pakistan.
Australian team management said physiotherapist Brendan Wilson also tested positive during regular testing of the squad.
Wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis was ruled out on Monday because of a COVID-19 infection, leaving an under-strength Australian squad with 13 fit players available for the series opener at the Gaddafi Stadium.
Allrounder Mitchell Marsh was unavailable for at least the start of the three-match series because of a hip injury, and veteran batter Steve Smith was ruled out with an injured elbow.
Fast bowlers Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc and veteran opener David Warner are being rested for the limited-overs portion of the tour after helping Australia to a 1-0 victory in the three-match test series.
Lahore will host the three ODIs and a one-off Twenty20 international to round off Australia's tour to Pakistan.
Australia's Agar tests positive for COVID-19 in Pakistan
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Australia's Agar tests positive for COVID-19 in Pakistan
- Agar tested positive for the virus just hours before the start of a limited-overs international series in Lahore
- Allrounder Mitchell Marsh was also unavailable for at least the start of the three-match series because of a hip injury
Pakistan cricketers arrive in Sri Lanka to take part in T20 series ahead of World Cup
- All-rounders Shadab Khan, Rana Faheem Ashraf and pacers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza arrived in Colombo
- Pakistan are set to play three-match series from Jan. 7-11 ahead of T20I World Cup scheduled to begin from Feb. 7
ISLAMABAD: The first batch of Pakistani cricketers have arrived in Sri Lanka to take part in a three-match T20I series scheduled to be played later this week, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Monday as the Green Shirts prepare for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
According to the cricket board, Pakistani all-rounders Shadab Khan and Rana Faheem Ashraf as well as pacers Mohammad Wasim and Salman Mirza arrived in Colombo on Sunday night.
Pakistan Head Coach Mike Hesson, Bowling Coach Ashley Noffke, the fielding coach and other members of the support staff have also arrived in Colombo.
“The remaining players of the national squad and other support staff members will depart from Lahore for Colombo on the afternoon of Jan. 5,” the PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan last week announced its 15-member squad for the Sri Lanka series, with Salman Ali Agha retained as captain to lead the side. Khan was recalled to the squad after recovering from a shoulder injury while uncapped batter Khawaja Nafay has also been selected in the team.
Pakistani star cricketers Haris Rauf, Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi are not part of the squad. All three were playing for the Big Bash League, with Afridi returning mid-season after suffering an injury.
All three T20Is are scheduled to be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium (RDICS) in Dambulla on Jan. 7, 9 and 11.
“The series will provide Pakistan an opportunity to finalize their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka from 7 February to 8 March,” the PCB said last week.
SQUAD:
Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jr., Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan (wk), Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq
