Former Bangladesh all-rounder Mashrafe Mortaza has tested positive for the coronavirus in the country’s capital city of Dhaka on Saturday.
The 36-year-old underwent a test for Covid-19 after feeling ill earlier this week, according to his Morsalin Mortaza.
“My brother has had a fever for two days. He did the test last night. Today came the test positive. He is at home in isolation,” Morsalin told Cricbuzz.
Nafees Iqbal, former Bangladesh cricketer and elder brother of ODI captain Tamim Iqbal, too, has contracted the coronavirus. Nafees is currently in home isolation in Chittagong. “I had the first symptom ten days ago. I had a fever and had aches and pains in the body but had recovered by the third day. But I still took the COVID-19 test just to be sure, and the result came back positive. I am doing fine at the moment,” he said.
Last month, Bangladesh’s development coach and former first-class cricketer Ashiqur Rahman was tested positive with COVID-19.
Mortaza has so far represented the Tigers in 36 Test matches and 220 ODIs in a career that started back in November 2001.
The 36-year-old pacer captained the Bangladesh team in last year’s World Cup in England, steering them to a famous victory over South Africa in the early stages of the competition.
He announced his retirement from the game in March this year ahead of Zimbabwe’s tour of Bangladesh.