Coronavirus Outbreak: Senior Bangladesh pacer Mashrafe Mortaza, former batsman Nafees Iqbal test positive for COVID-19

Dhaka: Former Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza has tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the second high-profile cricketer to be infected with the deadly virus. Last week, former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi had tested positive for the contagious disease. [caption id=“attachment_6914201” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Bangladesh pacer and former captain Mashrafe Mortaza. AP[/caption] Mortaza was reportedly unwell for the last couple of days and tested positive for the contagious disease on Friday. He is currently in self-isolation at his residence. “He has been suffering from fever for two days. COVID-19 test was conducted on Friday and we got the result today. He has been found positive. He’s now staying in isolation at home in Dhaka. Please pray for him,” Masrhafe’s younger brother Morsalin Bin Mortaza told United News of Bangladesh (UNB). According to local media, some of Mortaza’s family members had tested positive earlier. Mortaza, who is also a member of Bangladesh parliament, was quite active with his philanthropic activities amid the pandemic, lending a helping hand to his natives in his hometown and constituency Narail. Besides Mortaza, former Bangladesh cricketer Nafees Iqbal, who is the elder brother of ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, has also tested positive for coronavirus. The Daily Star newspaper reported that Nafees himself confirmed that he has contracted the deadly virus and is currently in home isolation in Chittagong. Nafees Iqbal, a right-handed opening batsman, made his debut for Bangladesh in 2003 but has been out of the national reckoning since 2006. The 34-year-old played 11 Tests and 16 ODIs for Bangladesh, scoring 518 and 309 runs respectively. Last month, Bangladesh’s development coach and former first-class cricketer Ashiqur Rahman had tested positive for the dreaded virus. More than 100,000 people have been infected so far in Bangladesh. Earlier three Pakistan cricketers — Afridi, Taufeeq Umar and Zafar Sarfaraz — had tested for positive the virus.