Bangladesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim wished a speedy recovery to former Pakistan cricketer Shahid Afridi, who tested positive for the coronavirus on Saturday. “Really feel so hurt by seeing your news brother…May Allah gives you sifah…Please pray for my brother…He has been found as covid-19 positive..In shaa Allah you will be fine-MR 15,” Rahim tweeted. The all-rounder on Saturday announced that he tested positive for coronavirus. The 40-year-old said he was feeling unwell since Thursday and asked for blessings and prayers for his speedy recovery.
“I’ve been feeling unwell since Thursday; my body had been aching badly. I’ve been tested and unfortunately I’m covid positive. Need prayers for a speedy recovery,” wrote the former Pakistan skipper on his official Twitter handle.
After Taufeeq Umar and Zafar Sarfaraz, Afridi is the third Pakistani cricketer to have contracted the virus.
Last month, Shahid Afridi had stepped in to buy a bat owned by Mushfiqur Rahim after a charity auction for coronavirus victims was derailed by fake bids.
Mushfiqur put the bat he used to score Bangladesh’s first Test double hundred in 2013 against Sri Lanka up for the highest bidder online this week. But organisers called off the auction as fake offers sent the price soaring over USD 50,000, Mushfiqur said.
“Afridi contacted me personally and I sent him a link of the bid,” the Bangladesh cricketer said in an online forum.
“On May 13 he sent me a letter and offered USD 20,000. He bought my bat with this money. I am really privileged,” he said.
Nicknamed “Lala”, Afridi has represented Pakistan in 27 Tests, 398 ODIs and 99 T20Is.
Afridi lives in Karachi, one of the worst-hit by the coronavirus in Pakistan.