Pakistan have been dealt another blow ahead of the 1st Test against Australia with fast bowler, Haris Rauf testing positive for Covid-19.
As a result, he has been ruled out of the Test which will begin tomorrow in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Fast bowler, Naseem Shah, who was originally a travelling reserve, has replaced him in the squad for the series opener.
Rauf is yet to play a Test for Pakistan but was in the running for selection after the withdrawals of Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf with injuries picked up in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) last week.
Pakistan called up Iftikhar Ahmed and Mohammad Wasim Jr. to replace those two, but they may be compelled to give a chance to Naseem Shah.
Rauf had cleared a COVID-19 test on arrival in Islamabad on Monday afternoon but he tested positive from a Rapid Antigen Test on Tuesday. Following Rauf’s positive test, the rest of the squad and support personnel were tested again. All these tests have come out negative.
Rauf will remain in isolation for five days and will re-join the squad once he returns a negative test at the end of his isolation period.
The three-Test series is the first Australia will play in Pakistan since 1998.
