Haris Rauf tests positive for Covid-19 ahead of first Pak-Australia Test

Fast bowler Haris Rauf, who was likely to make his Test debut in the first Test against Australia in hometown Rawalpindi, has tested positive for Covid-19, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Tuesday.

Haris was called back from the training and was isolated in his room. The rest of the members of the Pakistan squad will be tested again, the PCB added.

Fast bowler Naseem Shah, who was originally in the traveling reserves, will replace Haris in the squad for the first Test match that starts on March 4 in Rawalpindi.

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Rauf had joined the Pakistan squad in Rawalpindi after the end of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) season seven, where his side Lahore Qalandars were crowned champions.

He would be required to return two negative Rapid Antigen Tests for Covid-19 to be able to join the squad again.

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It should be noted that Pakistan have already lost all-rounders Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Nawaz, and fast bowler Hasan Ali to injuries. All-rounders Mohammad Waseem Jr, and Iftikhar Ahmed were added to the Test squad as their replacements for the first Test.

The inaugural Test of the three-match Test series between Pakistan and Australia will commence on Friday, March 4, at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi. It will be followed by Tests in Karachi and Lahore before three ODIs and a single T20I, all in Rawalpindi.