DHAKA: Bangladesh Twenty20 skipper Mahmudullah has been ruled out of the Pakistan Super League playoffs after testing positive for the coronavirus (Covid-19), he said on Sunday.

Mahmudullah was set to play in the franchise-based T20 event, which restarts on next Saturday after a break since March because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“I was surprised by a positive result from my Covid-19 test,” Mahmudullah told reporters before he was due to fly to Karachi to join the Multan Sultans. “I didn’t have fever or any other symptoms other than a bit of cold. I tested a second time and that also came out as positive.”

Several Bangladesh cricketers — including former skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and Test opener Saif Hasan — have tested positive previously. They have since recovered.

Multan Sultans are yet to announcement name Mahmudullah’s replacement.

Peshawar Zalmi also made a last-minute change after Liam Livingstone became unavailable following his selection to the England ODI squad for the tour of South Africa. Livingstone will be replaced by fellow Englishman Saqib Mahmood.

Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars are the other teams to reach the playoffs.

Bangladesh has reported more than 400,000 virus infections and over 6,000 deaths since the epidemic erupted.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2020