Star Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan tests COVID positive on Tuesday, ruling him out of the first Test against Sri Lanka beginning on May 15 in Chattogram.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan tests Covid positive on Tuesday, ruling him out of the first Test against Sri Lanka this week, according to Bangladeshi cricket officials.
Shakib returned from the United States on Tuesday and had to pass a PCR and a quick antigen test before being able to join the team for the series.
“The findings of both tests were positive. He will now be placed in self-isolation to heal before being re-tested. He has been ruled out of the first Test, according to the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
Sri Lanka’s cricket squad has arrived in Bangladesh for the two-Test series, which will begin on May 15 at Chittagong’s Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
Dhaka will host the second Test from May 23 to 27.
Due to a family emergency, Shakib missed Bangladesh’s previous Test series against South Africa and now that Bangladesh All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan Tests COVID Positive, this has added to his woes.
Shakib was scheduled to join the Bangladesh Test squad on Wednesday, just two days after the players began practising in Chattogram.
Shakib’s absence is a big setback for the hosts, who are also without Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Taskin Ahmed, who were not included in the team owing to injury.
Bangladesh had previously picked all-rounder Mosaddek Hossain as Mehidy’s replacement.
Shoriful Islam is in the Test squad, but he will have to pass a fitness test before the game.
Shakib will miss his fifth Test after playing one against Pakistan in December of last year. He missed the New Zealand series owing to personal circumstances, and subsequently had to miss the South Africa matches due to family illness.