Afghans negative for Covid in follow-up test

A day after returning positive for Covid-19, all the eight Afghanistan players tested negative for the virus in the follow-up tests today ahead of their upcoming bilateral three-match ODI and two-match T20I series against hosts Bangladesh.

"All of their Covid-19 tests came back negative. They will be able to practice from tomorrow," informed Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) physician Monzur Hossain Chowdhury. 

Yesterday, a total of eight Afghan cricketers and three staff members tested positive in their initial round of Covid-19 tests. 

However, despite such a major Covid-scare, the rest of the members of the squad participated in the first day of their week-long camp in Sylhet yesterday while the ones who have tested positive were isolated. 

Following the end of their training camp in Sylhet, Chattogram will be their next destination, where all three ODIs will be played at the Zahur Ahmed Cricket Stadium. The first ODI will be underway on February 23. The second and the third and final ODI is scheduled for February 25 and 28, respectively.

The two teams will then travel to Dhaka for the T20I series, which will be hosted by the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. The first game is scheduled for March 3 while the second and final T20I will take place 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.