Saif Hassan tests positive for Covid-19 again

In Bangladesh Cricket Board's (BCB) first phase of Covid-19 testing ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, national team opener Saif Hassan and trainer Nick Lee tested positive for the virus. BCB informed on Sunday that Lee had recovered and tested negative in the second Covid-19 test but Saif's result came out positive again. The news was confirmed to The Business Standard (TBS) by a BCB source. 

BCB informed through a statement on September 8 that Saif had tested positive for Covid-19. Saif was in isolation in his home since then and his physical condition moved towards the better in the past few days and he had no symptoms. That is why he was tested seven days after his infection but Saif tested positive again. 

The BCB source has informed that Saif was not considered for the primary squad for the Sri Lanka tour because of his infection. But that does not mean that Saif's chances to travel Sri Lanka are over as still has time to recover. If he recovers in time, he will travel to Sri Lanka with the team.

Though Bangladesh's tour to Sri Lanka has now become uncertain. Complications regarding the isolation period in Sri Lanka has seen the two boards discuss but no decision has been made. Sri Lanka asked Bangladesh to stay in quarantine for 14 days but BCB informed them that the tour was impossible with an isolation period of more than seven days. 

The next day Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva informed that Bangladesh will have to stay in quarantine for 14 days before the series and also the team will have to be in quarantine before boarding the flight to Sri Lanka. Also, Sri Lanka have asked Bangladesh to reduce its squad members. With everything being in a mix, the series which would have seen Bangladesh return to cricket after more than six months, is now hanging on a thread.