Former Pakistan first-class cricketer turned coach, Zafar Sarfraz, succumbed to COVID-19 after being tested positive recently. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Twitter handle confirmed on Tuesday.
“PCB has expressed grief over the passing of former first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz from Peshawar due to coronavirus on Monday. It has also offered its sympathies to Zafar’s family and friends,” stated PCB through its online platform.
PCB has expressed grief over the passing of former first-class cricketer Zafar Sarfaraz from Peshawar due to coronavirus on Monday. It has also offered its sympathies to Zafar's family and friends. pic.twitter.com/V0r00VQsFm
— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) April 14, 2020
50-year-old Zafar was battling the pandemic on a ventilator in a hospital at Peshawar for the last three days in the intensive care unit (ICU). Thereby, becoming the first cricketer from Pakistan to lose his life to COVID-19.
The Peshawar cricketer made his first-class debut back in 1988, and scored 616 runs in the 15 games he featured in.
The left-handed middle-order batsman also featured in six one-day games, before calling it quits in 1994 and concentrating on his coaching career. Sarfraz then coached the Under 19 team of Peshawar during the mid-2000s.
His brother, Akhtar Sarfraz, went on to represent the country at the biggest stage during the late 90s (between December 1997 to October 1998). Akhtar, in the four ODI games he featured in, scored 66 runs. Zafar’s brother lost his life ten months back, after battling colon cancer.
Pakistan has been plagued with COVID-19 cases of-late with almost 6000 cases being reported, 5500 of them being active. The country has reported as many as 107 deaths thus far. The city of Peshawar is a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has reported 744 active cases.
