Former Pakistan cricket team captain Shahid Afridi has been tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Saturday. Afridi took to Twitter to share the information and appealed to his fans to pray for his speedy recovery.
He wrote, “I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I’ve been tested and unfortunately I’m covid positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery, InshaAllah.”
I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I’ve been tested and unfortunately I’m covid positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery, InshaAllah #COVID19 #pandemic #hopenotout #staysafe #stayhome
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) June 13, 2020
The former all-rounder has become the third Pakistani cricketer to Test positive for the novel coronavirus after former opener Taufeeq Umar and Zafar Sarfaraz.
However, both the cricketers have recovered after going into 14-day isolation. Scotland’s Majid Haq and Sout African cricketer Solo Nqweni had also contracted the virus.
Meanwhile, Afridi had been at the forefront of the COVID-19 crisis in Pakistan with his organisation. The Shahid Afridi Foundation (SAF) donated rations, disinfectant soaps, masks, and the other required materials in the poorer community of his country.
The SAF had also joined hands with the Karachi Sports Forum (KSF) to provide ration and cash to the destitute people belonging to the minority community in the country. They distributed ration bags to lower caste and poor Hindu and Christian families.
In a great humanitarian gesture earlier in May, Afridi had bought a cricket bat auctioned by Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahman. The 42-year-old bought it for a sum on USD 20,000 on behalf of his charity foundation. The money was used to fight the pandemic in Bangladesh.
Pakistan has reported more than 1,32,000 cases and above 2.500 fatalities from the virus.