Sports

PCB provides update on players' health, refutes viral infection rumours

Players suffering from fever have "fully recovered", says the board's spokesperson

By Atiq ur Rehman & Faizan Lakhani

October 17, 2023

Pakistan´s Shaheen Shah Afridi (centre) celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of India´s captain Rohit Sharma during the 2023 ICC Men´s Cricket World Cup ODI match between India and Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on October 14, 2023. — AFP

BENGALURU: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), providing an update on players' health, refuted the rumours suggesting that some cricketers had contracted a viral infection.

Green Shirts' opener Abdullah Shafique contracted fever, sources told Geo News, whereas pacer Shaheen Afridi and leg-spinner Usama Mir also suffered from fever but have now recovered.

"Thankfully, there is no viral infection or disease [...] Those who are in the stage of recovery remain under the team medical panel’s observation," the PCB spokesperson said while confirming that though some players suffered from fever but have "fully recovered" from it now.

Meanwhile, the team also rescheduled a training session after cancelling it earlier today.

Pakistan team will have a two-hour training session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium today (Tuesday) from 6 to 8pm in Bengaluru.

Earlier, the team’s sources told Geo News that Pakistan’s opening batsman Abdullah Shafique contracted fever ahead of the national team’s match against Australia on October 20.

They said fast bowler Shaheen Afridi and leg-spinner Usama Mir were also suffering from fever but they have recovered now.

The sources said players underwent medical examination as per protocol and were tested for COVID-19 and dengue fever.

“There is no concern about the health of players,” the sources were quoted as saying.

Schedule of Pakistan’s remaining matches

October 20 - vs Australia in Bengaluru

October 23 - vs Afghanistan in Chennai

October 27 - vs South Africa in Chennai

October 31 - vs Bangladesh in Kolkata

November 4 - vs New Zealand Bengaluru (Day match)

November 11 - vs England in Kolkata

The day matches will start at 10:00am Pakistan Standard Time (PST) while all other matches will be day-night fixtures starting at 01:30pm (PST).

If Pakistan qualify for the semi-finals, they will play in Kolkata.

If India qualifies for the semi-finals, they will play in Mumbai unless playing against Pakistan, in which case they will play in Kolkata.

Pakistan squad for ICC World Cup 2023

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafique, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, M Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha.

Travelling reserves: Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed, Zaman Khan.