U-19 cricketer tests positive for Covid-19

Ahead of the four-week long residential camp at BKSP involving the under-19 team, the cricketers and supporting staff tested negative for Covid-19 in the first round of screening. But a cricketer has tested positive when they were screened second time around.

The samples of 15 cricketers were collected on Tuesday. The results came out on Wednesday morning where Iftekhar Hossain, a batting all-rounder from Barishal, has tested positive.

The manager of game development of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Abu Imam Mohammad Kaiser confirmed the news. "15 cricketers underwent the test on Tuesday. The result of one of them has turned out to be positive. He will be in complete isolation now. The others have been sent to the BKSP," he told The Business Standard.

Iftekhar Hossain has isolated himself in the BKSP Academy building. He will be taken care of by the medical team of BCB.

Initially a 45-mean squad was announced ahead of the camp. After that, another cricketer was called up to the preliminary team, making it 46. "We have included another cricketer. 16 cricketers will undergo tests on Thursday. After the screening is over, we will start the camp as planned," Mohammad Kaiser mentioned.

The camp will begin on August 23 and continue until September 18. The cricketers will play eight practice matches among themselves on the 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th of September. After the camp, the final under-19 squad will be announced.